


Nico and Percy, Through and Through

by Hades_the_Blingking



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Arion is literally the best thing I think I've ever written, Camp Half-Blood sex ed is hilarious, Explicit sexual material, Frequent coarse language, Graphic Violence, Greek sexual orientation, Hades/Hermes side pairing, Humour, I haven't read the actual ending :(, M/M, People have said it's better than the actual Riordan ending but idk??, Plot Twists, Romans actually being Romans instead of weird pseudo-Greeks that are in the canon, Swearing!Nico, could be a canon storyline without the sex and battle violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-17
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-01-01 20:27:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 65,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1048230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hades_the_Blingking/pseuds/Hades_the_Blingking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>First fanfic, excited :D Alrighty, takes places after House of Hades and can directly lead on from the book.<br/>Somehow the group of demi-gods must defeat Gaia and the Giant army, and fulfill both old and new prophecies. Meanwhile Percy is getting more than just a feeling about the frustrating yet elusive Nico, but with Annabeth at his side and the son of Hades outwardly hostile, nothing seems possible. As they try to sort out their feelings, hungers and differences, the deadline for the war is approaching. The demigods are beginning to realize that not everybody will survive this...but never, in all their worst nightmares, expected what was to come.<br/>This is my own ending to the Percy Jackson series.</p><p>Update: It's a few years later and my writing has much improved, so I have edited this entire fic. I hope you like the new edition!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Percy Appears Conveniently in a Shower

1.

The first thing he saw was Octavian’s head sewn on a teddy bear.  
“Arrgh!” Percy jolted awake, not quite sure whether he hoped the dream was prophetic or not. “Woah…”  
The nearer they got to Greece, the weirder the dreams got. Last night it had been Jason in a cupcake costume doing a fandango with a very stony-looking Athena. Well, maybe the stony Athena hadn’t been too weird. She probably had it in for him some way or another, what with him dating her daughter and leaving her statue in the hands of a Roman, a child of Hades and a psycho satyr.  
Percy got up, really not wanting to return to Octavian the Minotaur teddy. He could relieve someone of watch duty. Maybe Annabeth was up too – he hoped she was still doing alright from their stint in Greek Hell.  
“Hey Frank.” The huge guy was munching on a bun, crumbs trailing on his chin. He munched more prolifically in welcome. “Anyone need relieving? I’m done with sleeping.”  
“Yeah,” Frank said and swallowed. “I could do with a kip; had to keep turning into an owl to stay awake. You know those things can turn their heads 180 degrees?”  
Percy nodded.  
“It’s creepy. Anyway, see ya!”  
The dark ocean was beautiful at night. Percy always felt a delicious rush this close to his father’s domain, like the water was passing feel-good vibes some of Chiron’s more distant relatives might be proud of.  
“What’s this?” Percy jerked as a knife pushed against his throat. “A demi-god caught off his guard?”  
“You always catch me off-guard, Annabeth.” He grinned and pushed the hand away to pull her into a hug. “How’re you doing?”  
“Fine. As always.” She’d always say that too.  
“You know, we could find a dark corridor or something…” For some reason, maybe the dark, maybe the entrancing sea, Percy felt really lascivious, hungry for pleasure, to kiss and take. But Annabeth looked at him like he’d just suggested they go back to Tartarus.  
“Guard duty, Percy?” She tapped his chest with her blade. “What if someone attacked? We’d be distracted and the other guards probably outnumbered if we left.”  
“Yeah, I guess.” Seriously? Jason could handle it. Leo could handle it. Hazel could barely handle her dinner, but that was normal. He and Annabeth hadn’t had any real time alone since…Gods, since he’d disappeared from the Greek Camp. It pretty frustrating. Yeah, they’d spent 24/7 with each other, dying in Tartarus. But being mostly starved, dead and poisoned was not exactly a prelude to anything remotely sexy. Not that he wanted to take it too far yet, but by Aphrodite’s pretty ass, there were definitely some experiences he wanted to have before he met his untimely, premature, yet completely predictable, death.  
“Well we could just stay here…” He looped his arms around her waist and chest pulling her against him.  
“Percy, there’s a time and place,” The stormy-eyed daughter of Athena smacked the hand sliding into her shirt, like he was a dog and was trying to eat its master’s dinner. A stab of offense twisted in Percy’s gut, killing his mood.  
“Ok.” The silence that followed was almost awkward. Annabeth had never been one to get super kinky in the bedroom. Maybe it was because she was the daughter of Athena and all that. She was the type for romantic love – walking along the beach, kissing underwater, being wined and dined and joked with, kissed but rarely pleasured.  
“Well, I guess you shouldn’t stick around me too long – I’m just horny at the moment.” Percy grinned, but neither his heart nor dick was in it. Disappointment coiled in his chest. Yeah, the warm cosy love had been fine a year or so ago. But now he kinda wanted to explore more.... sexually. It was horrible, all this desire burning up in him with nothing to take it out on but himself, on the odd occasion he was alone. But it was also horrible feeling like he wanted more than Annabeth. He shouldn't _want_ more than Annabeth. But this relationship wasn’t exactly the raging sex life the Greek component in him craved; his drive seemed to be as annoying as the ADHD and dyslexia had been at school. Come on - she’d pulled him through Tartarus, she was a heroine. Without her…Percy’s mind wandered to Nico as Annabeth pecked his cheek in goodbye. Nico had traversed that horror alone, in a state worse than Percy’s version. If he and Annabeth were heroes for making it, Nico was twice the hero they were.  
“Hey Annabeth,” Percy called after his girlfriend, an idea suddenly sprouting in his head. “I might go take a shower. I think I’m too -”  
“Distracted to guard?” Most girls would take that as a compliment, but Percy could see she viewed it as a humorous weakness. Was it a weakness? Even if it was, it didn't really make him feel any better about himself.  
“Uh, yeah.” Another knife of doubt plunged into his stomach. Did she actually want him as a boyfriend or just some sort of friend with the odd benefit? 

Ok, he did want to talk to Nico. The son of Hades had seemed even more angry and down the last time Percy had seen him and if they were going to very likely die in Athens, he didn’t want to go out without straightening things. Little did he know how very not-straight the events of the future would be.  
He checked his back pocket. They kept a store of coins for Iris messages in the ship and he’d swiped a few in case of the odd griffin or boat-explosion emergency. Righteo. A shower would give him the water-spray he needed, and then he wouldn’t be lying to Annabeth either.

“Nico di Angelo…errr…Camp Half-Blood?” Percy guessed as he tossed in the coin. Would they have made it back by now? Immediately, an image swam into view…what…It was Nico, half-naked, unbuckling his heavy skull belt.  
“Er, Nico?” Percy noticed the guy had replaced the skinny, gaunt appearance with a lean, muscular look. A wash of unexpected heat trickled over him. Was Percy only noticing now that the softer edges of youth had been chiselled away to reveal a rather, well, good looking guy?  
“Shit!” Nico took a step back, eyes wide. Since when did Nico swear? “Percy, what in all Hades are you doing in my shower?”  
“Erm…” Somehow his thoughts had blanked out. “Hazel wanted to talk to you,” He blurted. What in Olympus, Percy? “Can you shadow-travel here sometime?”  
“Hazel?” Nico’s pitch eyes narrowed in suspicion, guarded. “Why didn’t she just message me?”  
The words seemed to say ‘why you?’  
“She’s sick, real sea-sick and couldn’t.” What the heck was he doing? “But you should come right away.”  
Nico sighed and then picked up his AC\DC shirt from the tiles. “Where are you?”  
Percy gave the co-ordinates, heart racing. Why was he lying to get Nico here? Was a minor god possessing him for a convoluted reason to get Nico on the ship? It didn’t feel like it. he guessed he...just really wanted to talk to the kid.  
“Er, don’t come to her room, she wanted to stay higher in the boat.” Percy improvised. If Nico turned up at Hazel's room asking what she wanted, then he’d look like a complete idiot to everyone. Gods, he felt like a complete idiot. “She’s in my room.”  
A black look flashed across that defined pale face, and Percy swore he could feel the room chill even at this distance.  
“What is she doing in your room?” Those black-yellow eyes were flinty. Percy son, that had probably not been the best thing to say.  
“Um, Frank just took her there, I don’t know!” He shrugged, lying his demi-god ass off. Obviously, he didn’t have the talents of Hermes-kin because Nico still eyed him with distaste. The last thing Percy wanted was Nico getting jealous of him and any closeness with Hazel. Not that there was that much really.  
“On my way.” Nico’s tone was steely and he shrugged the shirt back over those lithe, muscular shoulders. Percy felt a strange pang of disappointment when the cloth hid the flesh. This guy had obviously been working out. Why did he care so much?

Twenty minutes later and Percy was in a doze filled with Nico in stilettos. He’d just propped himself up on his bed and waited, anticipation keeping him awake until exhaustion mastered it.  
“Where is she?” Holy Hera’s cows! Percy had his hand on his sword before he even recognized Nico’s low voice. When had this guy’s voice broken? Maybe he’d broken it yelling at his dad.  
“Who, what -” Percy glanced at Nico and then remembered. Zeus’ pants. He had some explaining to do.  
“Where is my sister, Jackson.” Nico’s voice grated and it felt like the son of Hades was building a physical wall between them.  
“Erm…I lied.” He tried a comic smile, but Nico raised a dark eyebrow. “She didn’t want to talk to you, in fact, she doesn’t even know you’re here. I, um, kinda wanted to talk to you.”  
“You called me all the way here, after lugging that two-ton statue halfway across the world with no rest and my sister doesn’t even need me?” Nico snarled. “Why then, do you feel the need to call me like a fucking dog?”  
Percy flinched at the unexpected curse. “I wanted to talk to you. We didn’t part on good terms and you’re a good friend, Nico.”  
“If I’d have known you wanted to talk to me, I would have stayed away.” The black-haired demi-god muttered, and suddenly Percy felt both hurt and offended.  
“Nico, what in all Olympus have I done to make you so angry with me, huh?” Percy ranted hotly, blood racing. “All you do is scowl and act like ice around me and I’m just trying to be nice. What do you want from me? Huh?”  
Nico didn’t meet his gaze for a moment, but when he answered his voice was softer. “Just stay out of my way. That’s all I need.”  
Percy felt like slapping him for a second, but the strange Greek part of his brain stopped him completely. He had an impulsive urge to grab those hunching shoulder and kiss some sense into that kid. The conflict ended up in him giving a slight twitch and probably looking like a mad harpy. He didn't really want to kiss Nico, did he? No. Just...stress was getting to him, that was it.  
“No, I won’t, because you don’t get it. I care about you.” Yeah, he did. No matter what weird images his brain was filtering through at the moment. His mind felt hot with something like battle-rage, but less angry. He felt reckless, like the frustration at everything – Annabeth, himself, Gaia, Nico, the ridiculous expectations of the gods and this whole war – was clawing to vent.  
“I need to sleep. And then I’m going back to Camp-Half Blood.” Nico finished sharply, glancing around, anywhere but Percy’s eyes.  
“Take my bed, I’m not using it.”  
“No.” The reply was almost too quick. “There are spare quarters downstairs.”  
“No – no, not anymore.” Another lie! Why was he doing this? “Leo expanded some machinery. Only the essential rooms are left.”  
Nico’s jaw twitched and Percy could tell he was clenching his teeth. What was so wrong with his bed?  
“I won’t be in here, I’ve got guard duty.” The rush wasn’t passing. In fact, heat prickled down his spine as he looked at the slender figure in his dimly lit room. What the Hades was happening with him? Was he sex-mad or feverish or something?  
“Fine.” Nico said flatly, but it sounded like ‘get out’. What had he done to rub this guy up so wrongly? The sentence in his head gave him a mental image that made his cock give an unexpected twitch. What would Nico look like fully naked? What would kissing be like with a guy? Different? What noises would Nico make, if any? Annabeth was pretty quiet, which kind of made him feel insecure of his abilities, he saw in hindsight. Percy, a logical voice warned. What in the name of Poseidon are you thinking?  
He had a girlfriend. A wonderful girlfriend. And Nico certainly didn’t want anything like that – he was still dosing Percy with slicing retorts. He’d probably punch him to Bemuda if Percy kissed him. And he didn’t fancy ending up in the Sea of Monsters again.  
“K. I’m sorry for calling you pointlessly.” Percy, for the third time that night felt unsatisfied, both by the fact he hadn’t managed to clear up their spat and his sexual aggression.  
“Yeah.” Nico’s eyes were glassy with exhaustion. Percy left the man to sleep, but as he walked out, he had a sudden urge to look back through the window into his room. Nico was sitting on his bed, face in his hands, murmuring to himself. His back was huddled in a dejected kind of way and Percy swore he was trying to control his breathing. What was up with Nico? Was he sick or just humongously tired? He turned away, puzzling it over. Hazel was safe. The other demi-gods were safe. Maybe Hades was grumping at him? Nah, they’d made their peace. What the heck was wrong?


	2. Nico Is Attacked By an Oak Leaf

2.

Fucking Tartarus, Nico wanted to hate Percy. Out of all the utter shit of his life, this was the worst. He curled up tighter into a ball, willing the headiness of sleep to carry him away from this fucked up situation. But Hypnos was cruel today. Left him on the brink, covered by a aqua duvet scented of Percy, which in turn left him with an incurable desire manifested as a throbbing boner. He couldn’t hate that man though. Annoyed, yes. What the fuck did Percy want with him? To fucking be a good friend. He snarled the word in his head. It was all or nothing, Percy. Nico mentally couldn't deal with anything in-between. It would destroy him. Correction: It was already destroying him.

Nico had actually been hopeful that Hazel wanted to talk. He loved her and wanted the best for her, wanted to be the big brother she’d never had but deserved. But instead he got Percy and this ‘friend’ shit. He got this helpless, crushed feeling and worst of all the aching gnaw of hope he felt all the time around Percy that he had to stamp out with anger or indifference. If he let it get to him, he’d be a crying little bitch all the time. And shit, that wasn’t his style.  
A gentle pulse ran through his arm and he rubbed it absently. Since Eros had shot him there, the spot had felt like a second cock, tingling and sending him pleasure signals whenever he was around that son of Poseidon or even thought about him. It was impossible. As he’d told himself a million times. Percy had a girlfriend who he loved. Loved as in they’d been through Tartarus together. That shit was inseparable. Then there was his own situation. Even if in some Elysium where Percy had no Annabeth and liked ass instead, there was no way he’d ever be able to voice his desire. He’d barely been able to back in Croatia. In fact before then he’d pointedly denied himself any erotic thoughts about anybody – well he’d tried to imagine himself with girls, brainwash himself into thinking he was not another carrier of misfit quality. But Aphrodite was a determined bitch, and the more he’d tried to pair himself up with a woman, the more he sickened himself at the thought.  
“Come on, Hypnos, have mercy on a man.” He mumbled, pushing away the whole ordeal. It would be fine. He’d be out of here tomorrow and not have to deal with watching the fucking couple of the century hold hands, kiss and stare like dopey cattle of Apollo into each other’s’ languid eyes. “Hypnos, you get here right now or I’ll tell Hades to unleash Cerberus on your ass.”  
The god must have heard him, or maybe it was pure coincidence, but he finally fell asleep.

 

Early that morning, he left without a word to even Hazel. She’d ask why he was here. Fucking Percy was why. He wished that was literal.  
Took stops in Italy, Wales, Canada and finally back to Manhattan, where he collapsed on his bed in the Hades Cabin and swigged all the ambrosia he dared till he felt decent enough to get up again. Hungry. Food.  
Fuck, hungry didn’t even begin to describe it. He was ravenous. Anxiety over whether Percy was alive or well had put him off his meals so badly that he was surprised he’d never fainted from low blood pressure. And the jealousy that if Percy was ok, he’d be alone, clinging onto Annabeth for support hadn’t given him much appetite either. That whore. Nico had used to try to pretend he liked her instead of Percy. Man, he’d been weird. Now he really just loved to take his anger and frustration out on her in his head. Some maniacal kind of pleasure? Some childish joy? Probably. Helped him escape a little. True, he’d wanted to escape life a lot these past few months. Suicide wasn’t really in the equation. He couldn’t just ditch the world like this and fuck, death didn’t look much better….well, unless Elysium was waiting, but then again he very much doubted that, unless Hades bumped him up. Plus he’d researched enough pathways for souls to escape back to their bodies that he wasn’t even sure that he’d stay dead. Just his fucking luck really.

At lunch Nico received a few curious glances from new campers, but deflected them with unfriendly eyes. Yeah, Camp-Half Blood now tried to be all politically correct and everything, but that still didn’t stop the Seniors, in the absence of Percy, telling ghost stories about the creepy kid whose dad ruled the Underworld. One day he was just going to fuck with their minds and re-enact one. That'd teach them to mess with the son of Hades.  
Hmm, what was that? He devoured the last of leftover cold beef and picked the book up. Looked like one of the Athena kids had dropped it or something – not many other Campers actually bothered with books when there were flaming climbing walls to play on. It was in ancient Greek, but that didn’t bother him; in fact it made it easier.  
_The Odyssey. _  
Hmm. Nico definitely knew the name and a few vague plot points. Well, he’d wanted an escape from life. Books were written for that exact intent. Maybe this was a shitty way of granting his wish from a trolling god. Well fuck it. Nico hadn’t read a book in years. About time, and he’d brush up on his mythology too. So he strode back to his cabin, hopped on his bed and opened it.__

It was dark by the time he finished. He’d missed dinner and ignored the campfire socialization, because fuck, he hadn’t got his teeth into a good book since gods-knew-when. One part in particular stuck with him. The Land of the Lotus Eaters. The sailors had forgotten about their lives, relationships and quest, high as fuck for the rest of their lives. Didn’t sound like a bad Fate. It did sound vaguely familiar, but he couldn't for the life of him pinpoint it. But fact, the more Nico thought about it, the more it appealed to him. The seven were chosen. He’d transported Athena’s statue back. Percy had fucking bitch whore Annabeth. Hazel had Frank. Who actually needed him anymore? His dad? Nico looked over at the pile of diamonds Hades had sent him as allowance. Yeah, the god certainly got grumbly a lot of the time. But of all the deity parents, his dad seemed to be, surprisingly, the most caring. Though he still didn’t grasp modern concepts that well. If Nico offered a supermarket cashier fucking diamonds for Coke he’d probably get arrested. Ah well. Hades could always visit him there, right? Nico poured over the book again, searching through the names, looking for anyone who might be useful. Sure, he could call up Odysseus’ ghost, but that guy didn’t seem like a geographer of any kind. Tiresias? A prophet of Apollo and pretty wise-sounding as well. This dude would know. Time to get out the spade and pizza again.

“Nico, King.” The shimmering soul had appeared much more quickly than they usually did. The prophet had milky white eyes and his features flickered between that of an old man and a woman, chewing on a slice of meat lovers.  
“Tiresias, I wish to know about the land of the Lotus Eaters.”  
“Hmm…numnumnum.” The ghost slurped in the last bite of dough. “It is an Island of Myth. Can only be found by a heroic boat. There's a public branch in the city of Las Vegas. "  
"The Lotus Casino? Really?" So that's what had rung a bell. Of course. He didn't particularly want to go back there....but maybe the private place would be better. It was still worth a shot. Nico cocked an eyebrow and eyed the dead, gender-morphing prophet with curiosity. "A heroic boat?"  
“More of the bread-goodness.” Tiresias held out a ghostly hand. Nico sighed and chucked him more pizza. “Mmmm.”  
The ghost munched. Fuck, this one was trying his patience. “Tiresias…”  
“Watch your throat, Nico.” What the fuck? The words sent an icy chill through his spine and it rippled out over his body, except for the patch of skin where Eros’ arrow had pierced.  
“A heroic boat is that which is directed by a hero on a quest. But heed. These Islands appear for a sacrifice. Milk and honey should do the trick.”  
“So I need to get on Percy’s boat?” Nico sighed, gut twisting and warmth spreading from his arm. Why the fuck did every straw lead back to that gorgeous sailor?  
Tiresias nodded and Nico let him melt back into the darkness. As he did so, there was a noise like a gushing wind through an icy ravine. An oak leaf smacked him in the face. What the shit?  
“Nico!” Rachel, fiery hair wild with twigs and leaves stumbled forward, eyes glazed in a frenzy. She stopped and stared, eyes wide at the leaf in his hand.  
“Just like my dream.” She mumbled and reached forward. Nico was slightly surprised that she’d been able to find him, but the Oracle of Apollo had powers even he guessed at. “Give me the leaf.”  
Completely fucking bemused, Nico handed it to her. As soon as it touched her skin, gold letters burned into the green flesh of the plant. He felt the presence of a ghost – a powerful one at that – burst out of the Underworld and slam into Rachel’s body.  
“Nico di Angelo, son of Hades.” A female voice much lower than Rachel’s lilted. Nico felt like offering her pizza, but Tiresias had ghost-consumed it all. _“Dark blood will poison the land, a prophecy fulfilled already at hand, a traitor alone you will stand, dark blood will poison the land.” ___  
As quick as that, she was gone. Rachel coughed and shuddered.  
“Of course the Cumaean Sybil would visit you, I should have guessed.” She winced again and stared at the gold-emblazoned oak leaf. “Ugh, that was cold.”  
Dark blood? Traitor? Nu-uh ghost-woman. He was going to get high as a Party Pony in a mythological Island. Fuck this prophecy shit for once and for all. But getting there would mean he’d have to crash on Percy’s ship for a while. Nico tried to stop every lusty desire invading his thoughts at the image of Percy, shirtless and sunbathing, on deck. But Eros’ arrow seemed to amplify his sexual fantasies and suppress his will to stop thinking about it. His arm throbbed smugly and sent the blood straight to his cock, already swollen into a curious semi. For Zeus' sake.  
“Um, thanks Rachel.” He hoped that in the meagre light, she couldn’t see his Eros-induced hot flush.  
“Thank Apollo, man.” She grinned and handed him the leaf. “See ya round!”  
Nico stared after her retreating ass in the darkness and then back to the glowing leaf. Whatever shit this was, he was done. He’d go back to the boat, avoid Percy and tip milk and honey into the sea until his escape appeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Nico has a voice! :D Tell me whatcha think, and thank you for all your positive comments so far! x)


	3. The Son of Mars Becomes a Butterfly

The day was delightfully hazy, the sea was aquamarine and lazy, the crew were laughing and joking, but Percy felt like a black knife of discomfort and confusion was carving his gut. Firstly, they were getting closer to their impending doom. That was always going to be a clinch. Especially since they didn’t really know what it entailed except for ‘the world shall fall to fire or storm’ and the rest of that cheerful jazz. Which kinda sounded painful.  
Secondly, Nico had been gone a few days and things were getting to him. Like the morning after Nico’s visit, the thoughts of kissing and touching that dark son of Hades had all seemed like a strange dream. Had he really fantasized that? Percy half expected a tanned God to pop out a wall in a poof of smoke and be all like “trolled ya Percy!” But the closest was Leo who popped out of all sorts of crevices in the ship, usually blackened in some way, from oil, smoke, fire, or a strange translucent substance Percy had an odd feeling might be marmite. Wasn’t sure what Leo was doing below deck with copious amounts of marmite, but whatever floated the boat. The more he thought about Nico…well, he tried not to. It was too difficult now, as instead of the usual gaunt, spooky image, he saw that rippling, lean torso and mesmerizing yellow eyes, guarded but intriguing. Again, what had happened to the young geek and the cold loner? Who was this mysterious, dark….handsome?...No. Well, yes. He was handsome. But a man could call another man handsome without wanting a relationship, yes? Percy sighed.  
That brought him to problem numero tria. He felt like an Hyperborean giant around Annabeth. Sexually frigid, stupid and a little more awkward by the day. And questioning himself. Gods knew why. That girl had pulled him through Tartarus. Sometimes slightly too literally. Percy knew he loved her and was never going to stop. But what sort of love it was, now he didn't quite know. The thing was, he saw the future with her like this: Sitting on an armchair on the deck of a batch by the sea, her handing him a mug of tea as they kissed gently and cosily under the last dying rays of the sun. Gooey, warm and…a tad boring. Despite his loyalty to her, it was not something he felt he could do, realistically. As a friend, maybe. But Nico? No, he wasn’t…he couldn’t have thought…Nico certainly didn't swing that way anyway, so why……didn't he? After struggling through both the Iliad and the Odyssey for Chiron’s desolate homework tasks, Percy had come to terms that the labels of sexuality hadn’t really existed back in Ancient Greece. Only attraction, whatever was natural. Almost every man seemed bi. Every camper probably had the bi Greek inside them somewhere. He certainly felt like it.

“Hey dude!” Jason clapped him on the shoulder, shocking him out of his thinking stupor like a thunderbolt, ironically. The guy had really strayed from the Roman path – a shaggy lion of a figure now.  
“Sup.” Percy grinned. “Been painting with all the colours of the wind again?”  
“Oh go string some pearls together or something, Ariel.” Jason punched his arm cheerfully, and Percy swore he felt a fizz in his bicep. “Y’know Nico’s joined the crew again?”  
“What?” Before he knew it, his heart skipped like a celebrating nymph. Stop, Percy.  
“Yeah, he said Hades sent him or something. Like usual.” Jason stretched and looked up at the sky. “I wish my dad would send me places. What do you think of Nico anyway?”  
“Er, what do you mean?” Percy glanced over his shoulder to the deck, and sure as Gaia was a psychopath, Nico di Angelo was standing there, nodding with Hazel and a wary-looking Frank. A wash of unexpected nerves drizzled through his stomach.  
“He’s really not a bad guy, huh?”  
“No, no…” Not bad at all, really. Suddenly Annabeth strode up on deck and Percy dropped his gaze back to Jason. Guilt ate at his stomach. He had to stay faithful to her. She was the most wonderful thing that had happened to him. Yeah. “I think he’s been through a lot. We…aren’t really getting along at the moment, I think.”  
_Just stay out of my way._  
“Nothing lasts forever, man.” Jason cracked his knuckles absently, but gave him a sidelong look. “I’d want him on my side in this war. He’s more powerful than half the credit most give him.”  
“Er, yeah.” Percy had the feeling that Jason was up to something, but not sure what. Then again, if the children of the big three were all friends and happy, Gaia would be reckoning with a force much stronger than each alone. Man, Jason and his Roman way of thinking made sense sometimes.

 

Ok, having Nico on board was unfair. Percy could now totally believe the way he’d fantasized about the man the other night, because holy Herakles…. At dinner in the mess hall, he could hardly take his eyes off that slim, slinky demi-god. The black jeans, slung low over his slender hips with a studded belt, that Avenged Sevenfold shirt that was slightly too short and flashed a smooth, toned stomach whenever the guy reached across the table.... the messy collar on that new leather jacket he was wearing that brought out his graceful neck….Yep, Percy sat next to Annabeth in the shell-blue dining hall with a boner that didn't want to listen to common sense and wandering eyes. Every time Nico glanced his way, even though the gaze was empty of emotion, a hot spike of desire and excited nerves stabbed through his spine...it was so confusing. He never ever even contemplated wanting another guy so desperately, but now…by good Aphrodite’s girdle, he wanted sex so bad it wasn’t funny. Uninvited scenes kept jumbling themselves in his head; Nico panting and groaning high and helplessly, riding his dick like the rodeo in a blaze of pleasure, sweat and carnal lust; himself moaning in delight as those delicate lips teased his nipples and kissed down further to lap at his cock like a cat at milk…the thought of Nico inside him, commanding his body, even though he had no idea how the pleasure would feel that way… Compared to Annabeth’s future vision, it outstripped it by a country mile. Stripped being the operative word. Stripped like an Aphrodite camper on R16 Camp Concert night. Stripped like he wanted Nico to strip dancing around a pole. Ok. His imagination had got a bit carried away. He should stop before someone noticed he was blushing like a first year Camper being showered in condoms by the Aphrodite Cabin.  
“What’s on your mind, Seaweed Brain?” Annabeth teased.  
Screwing and being screwed by the son of Hades, could have been the reply. Somehow Percy figured Annabeth wouldn’t take too kindly to that one.  
“Just…trying to figure out how we’re going to kill Gaia.” He frowned and shifted his leg, trying to make his eager cock calm down. “I mean, if we can kill her. Defeat her.”  
“Always think ahead,” Annabeth smiled and bumped his shoulder with hers. It was so warm and kind but…Poseidon help him. She was slowly slipping into the friendzone and no matter how hard Percy tried to grapple her back, the slope was just becoming steeper every day. It seemed the further she went, the more his heart hurt. “I’ve been analysing the prophecy, you know: _Seven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire, the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath, And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death._ Well, seven of us are chosen and we’ve fought before the doors of death. I’m thinking Jason or Leo have something to do with the storm or fire, but the oath?” She shook her head. “Unless there’s either a secret, a traitor or another party, I don’t know.”  
“Not often we hear you say that!” Percy grinned and she poked him. In a friendly way. Friend. Gods, why?  
“It’s just that we’re so close to the finish and unless there’s something I’m missing…” Annabeth picked up her notebook and Percy went back to ogling the way Nico’s shoulders moved as he shifted in his seat.

__

That evening, he went up on deck to calm the choppy sea a little (as Hazel was as green as Grover’s girlfriend) and he saw that familiar dark figure perched by the railing, tossing something into the water. What was Nico doing?  
“Uuh, hey!” Percy went for the cheerful greeting. Nico jumped about a mile and glared at him.  
“What?”  
“How’re you doing?” If Nico wanted to be surly, that was his problem. The only way to break the barriers between him and this handsome demi-god was communication.  
“Fine.” Nico looked back over the ocean, resting his chin on his forearms on the railing. “ ‘s a nice night.”  
The way Nico’s shirt slid forward on his back to reveal a slice of skin was almost erotic in the moonlight. Percy just wanted to reach forward and slip it off fully, touch those pale, decadent muscles, press his body tight against the slender contours and tongue-kiss like a drunk, slutty Aphrodite. But it was like this guy had a defensive shield of barbed wire around him. Not to mention a mean right hook.  
“Uh, yeah.” Percy’s voice came out huskier than he expected, and Nico shot him a curious look. Gods, why had he come over to talk to this guy? He was just putting himself up for torture. He cleared his throat, shifting his legs as his dick decided to get interested. Again. Sweet Zeus' beard, was Eros hanging around or something? That...might actually explain a lot.  
“I went below deck and there’s no machinery.”  
“What?” Percy tried to absorb the calm zen of the sea, but his hard cock was pounding with blood, sending lust racing to his brain. How had Nico done this to him in a matter of days? It was as unfair as Clarisse’s treatment of juniors.  
“You said Leo had expanded the machinery.” Oh.  
“Umm…well…” Percy’s distracted brain refused to come up with an excuse. Touch Nico, it said. Let him touch you. Try it. Kiss him. Now.  
“I told you to stay out of my way, Percy.” Nico said stiffly and pushed off from the railing. He caught a glimpse of those cat-like eyes and it looked like the demi-god was either savagely confused or about to cry. “I don’t get why you lied to me, and I don’t care. You...”  
He looked as if he were going to say something else, but then sighed and turned away.  
“Nico –“ Percy had been aiming for the wrist, but caught the guy by the hand. Nico’s eyes widened and Percy felt like his heart was galloping like Arion at full velocity. What in all Tartarus did he do now?  
“Percy, I was thinking about the prophecy - ” Annabeth’s voice cut through the awkward silence and Nico vanished into the shadows. Frustrated, Percy turned back, plastering a politely interested expression over his confusion and guilt.  
“Great.” All he could think of was: you’re my girlfriend and we don’t even share a bed like Jason and Piper. We don't kiss or make out. Why had she had to turn up at that exact moment? He could have pulled Nico in right then and kissed the Underworld outta him. But Annabeth seemed to be tailing him like a hawk-eyed Hera and scared the sexy bastard off. Just as well she did then really, Percy thought. Could he have dealt with being unfaithful to her? Well, with Nico the way he was, odds were Percy would never have to face it. 

__

__“Land ho!” nnnuuh…whut? Percy clawed the sheets off his face and shook his fuzzy head. No weird dreams that night. Finally sleep. Land? They were nowhere near Greece yet, not by his internal co-ordinates. Though they were running a little short of food. Living off fish wasn’t everyone’s diet, especially Jason and the Underworld pair. Mmm, Nico. It was a fact he was beginning to accept. Thinking of Nico di Angelo’s ass, body and package made him hornier than a Minotaur in every sense._ _

Up on deck, everybody was crowded at the railing, peering out at the island on their right. Leo had brought them right up close, and by the gods it looked like paradise. Mango trees dripping with fruit dotted the forest-line while coconut palms waved blissfully in the balmy breeze. Strawberries, like the crimson, fat fruit at Camp Half-blood, ripened in glades just in sight. The sand was a deep gold and written in it was ‘Welcome to Paradise”. Everything just seemed right and at peace with the world.  
“ – look, we need more supplies and even if we just take some of the fruit - ” Frank was arguing on behalf of Hazel, it seemed. Annabeth shook her head stubbornly.  
“It’s a trick! How many times have we been on an Island just to end up captured or turned into Guinea pigs?” She gestured at Percy and Jason grinned.  
“You’ve been turned into a Guinea pig?”  
“Don’t ask.” Percy laughed, but his eyes strayed back to the island. It felt different than Circe’s place. More gentle and less conquered by civilization.  
“We can’t just take everything along our way as something evil,” Nico interjected. Even he wanted to go on the island, and usually Nico was cautious at most turns, having being captured, betrayed and tortured numerous times. “We may just be missing out a fair opportunity because of superstition.”  
It seemed like the vote was the crew against Annabeth.  
“Ok.” Annabeth sighed. “Three of us should stay aboard. I’ll stay, Percy and Leo, since he can get this thing away at top speed if we need to.”  
“Heelo dere seeylors!” A dark-skinned satyr with dreadlocks and a tie-dye kerchief around his head called from the beach. He grinned, teeth astonishingly white. “You want some food, ya? We have all you need, come!”  
Percy nodded at the rest of the crew and immediately Nico led Piper, Jason, Frank and Hazel off the ship.  
“Come, come!” The Jamaican satyr cheered and put a hand on Frank’s back. “You a beeeg guy! You need all the food, ya? We geeve you de best! Come!”  
Why did he have to stay and not explore paradise? It looked amazing and the satyr seemed so open and genuine – a trustworthy creature on a beautiful island was not something they came across often.  
“Looks really awesome, huh?” Leo tinkered with some mechanism, sitting on the railing.  
“Better safe than sorry.” Annabeth said, facing away from the beach. That was always her motto. Boring and safe. Logic. Sometimes logic was better thoroughly screwed. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, basking in the warm sun.  
“LEO!” Piper’s suddenly burst out of the treeline the others had disappeared into. “Annabeth, they’ve all…”  
She sprinted up to the ship through the sand, panting, beautiful eyes wide with fear.  
“What, what?!” Annabeth immediately clambered down to her, Percy and Leo fast on her heels. If something had hurt Nico…  
“The satyr gave the others some kind of cake…” She panted and a perfect tear slid down her cheek. “They all went kinda weird, like...I don’t know! I tried to pull Jason back to the boat, but he said he never wanted to leave and almost didn’t recognize me! Nico disappeared, Hazel was giggling and pulling up tons of jewellery, Frank became a butterfly and the satyr started singing like a drunk and conjured up a whole new chunk of forest. We have to get them back!”  
“I knew it!” Annabeth glared at them all and drew her knife. “It’s the Land of the Lotus Eaters, I should have recognized it!”  
“Wait, but I thought that was the Lotus Hotel?” Percy frowned and glanced back at the alluring sands.  
“Even though we have a modern replacement, the older versions still last – you know, like the mountain Mt Olympus still exists in Greece, Odysseus’ version of the Island is still here. We’ll have to drag them back and tie them up.”  
The thought of tying up Nico was a little more appealing than it should have been.  
“Leo, secure the ship,” Annabeth continued, and Percy realized again, with an aching heart, why he admired the girl. True, she may not be a sexual tiger, but in a battle she was invaluable. Again the friendzone called with heralding trumpets. “I’ll go after Hazel, Piper, you deal with Jason - ”  
“I’ll go after Frank.” Leo intercepted quickly. “I hope you don’t mind Percy, but I don’t fancy grabbing the psycho son of Hades.”  
“Nah.” Percy kept his voice casual, but excited thrills zinged through his spine, making his head spin. Nerves too. Nico was as formidable, if not more formidable, than him and Jason. But being alone with Nico in paradise was a wet dream in itself, one that may or may not have paraded through his imagination over the past few days. It was crazy how much he hungered to taste another man’s skin, to feel the son of Hades writhe above or beneath him – he didn’t even care – and hear Nico’s sex screams. Oh gods, that had got him hard. Nico had him up and down like a drunk Pegasus. “I can handle him.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any thoughts? :) Any feedback would be magnificent! :D


	4. The King of Bones and the Seaman Get High

4.

 

It was not often that Percy ran through a mythical forest, rope looped over his shoulder, searching for the prince of the Underworld who was very likely high on Lotus drugs. How was he going to unearth Nico? That guy could go from America to China in ten seconds.  
“Artemis, goddess of the hunt, please,” Percy could only think of praying. “Help me find him and I’ll sacrifice to you when I get back to the ship.”  
She must have been listening or his luck must have taken a turn for the better, because he burst into a clearing. Kneeling on the ground, and looking happier than Percy had even seen him, was Nico. Scampering around his knees and up his arms were several skeletal field mice, which he was petting and feeding crumbs of brownie. Seeing that usually guarded face grinning and giggling almost hysterically was kinda scarier than any time Nico had been livid.“Er… Nico?”  
“Percy motherfucking Jackson.” The son of Hades snapped his head up, licked his lips and clicked his fingers. Before Percy could react, two skeletal hands grabbed his legs and yanked him to his knees with a thud. Nico prowled over on all fours, looking like a curious panther and a hot flash of uncontrollable desire raced down Percy’s chest into his pants.  
“It’s nice here isn’t it?” Nico rolled onto his back and grinned up at Percy, body swaying restlessly on the ground, receptive and open. Good Zeus, it was like watching a slow fuck. “Mmm…”  
Those yellow eyes flicked up to him with a salacious glance. Percy decided he liked Nico high.  
“You know…” Nico giggled and flipped over onto his stomach. He waved his fingers in front of his eyes, counting them silently until he reached eight. “I brought us here. Asked Tiresias for directions.”  
What?  
“Why?” Percy had to concentrate to keep his voice level. He fought between the obligation to drag this poor bastard back to the ship and the overwhelming lust throbbing from the concrete erection in his jeans. Oh gods he wanted to hold that sensual body down and grind against those hypnotizing hips, feel that younger body jerk and thrash against him in orgasm. There was something about this place, this Island that melted his qualms about Annabeth for the moment. It was like a sanctuary from life, from worries...  
“Oh Percy… ”  
THUNK! Suddenly he was on the ground, a hand toting a skull ring planted on his chest. Nico’s face was inches from his, eyes lazy, pretty cupid-bow lips in a pout. An inadvertent high gasp left Percy’s throat as the feeling of being restrained stroked a sweet spot in his mind.  
“You’re so cute when you’re worried.” Before Percy knew what was happening Nico slid his leg over his waist and straddled him, arching his spine in a delicious curve.  
“Nico…” He panted, eyes wide and dick eager for what this guy was going to do next. He’d never felt this rush of excitement and breath-taking squeeze of nerves with Annabeth. Where had all this come from? Was it the drug or Nico’s inner preferences breaking free? Either way, he loved the coincidence.  
“I like you Percy…” Nico murmured in Percy’s ear, breath tickling the sensitive nerves there and sending cold and hot shivers down his spine. Suddenly, Nico’s hot tongue swiped against his ear, jolting pleasure through him.  
“Ahh, Nico!” Oh gods that was good! It was so tempting, so tempting to just go with it. Annabeth wouldn't know...  
“Nico, Nico…” He panted, wanting to ask why, but the tongue and teeth teased more savagely, sending ripples through his muscles and pushing his dick hard against the constraint of the fabric. He couldn’t even think straight, just wanted Nico to satisfy his craving for sex.  
“I like you a lot Percy…” Nico moaned and those wicked lips travelled down his neck…shit!  
“Ah, Gods Nico, please!” To Hades with it. Percy grabbed that messy, jet-black hair and kissed him.  
Nico’s reaction was immediate. He slammed Percy back down onto the grass, groaning with delight around Percy’s tongue as he sucked it, lips pushing greedily in a fight for dominance. Zeus almighty, Percy had never had a kiss as wild and urgent as this with such a skilled partner; Nico’s tongue was a demon, flicking delicately against the nerves in his mouth, when he finally got his way, pushing deep and preventing Percy from breathing until he was light headed and even more desperate. Percy slid his hands under Nico’s shirt as they kissed, revelling at the gorgeous planes of muscle he found there. It was so different with a man. Harder (in more ways than one), the scent was different, the sounds were deeper, but the differences were so exciting to Percy's easily distracted nature.  
Suddenly the son of Hades sat back up.  
“What – ” Percy let out an unexpected cry. Oh sweet Eros! Pleasure welled in his groin as one of Nico’s lithe hands stroked up the bulge of his cock. His hips thrust upwards off the ground, seeking more resistance to grind against as Nico’s other hand massaged his thigh.  
“Gods, Nico!!” He gasped, in disbelief more than anything else.  
The grip tightened and Percy couldn’t stop his voice getting higher, keening for more. How was this guy’s touch so incredible?  
“Fuck…” Nico panted, sliding his thumb in a rhythm that caused such a sweet friction between the head of his cock and the fabric of his pants that Percy thought he was going to come in seconds. “Oh you sexy bitch!”  
He would have laughed at the son of Hades calling him 'a sexy bitch' if Nico hadn't just unzipped his jeans, yanked them down with a roughness that Percy was beginning to enjoy more and more, and slid his elegant hand into the son of Poseidon's briefs. The touch on his straining cock was almost too much. By way of response, Percy slid his thigh between Nico's, revelling at the answering, hot stiffness against his leg. The world spun in a kaleidoscope of pleasure and probably the effects of the remnants of Lotus drugs from Nico's mouth.  
"Faster! Please!" He found himself begging. Nobody, not Zeus, not Kronos, no-one had made him beg like this.  
“Unh, unh, fuck!” Nico grunted as he thrust ferociously against Percy’s thigh, pleasuring himself as well. Percy moaned wordlessly, sharp and pleading for this pleasure to climax. He could hardly breathe now, he was gasping so hard, eyes rolling in desperation to come. Then the son of Hades leaned forward and nuzzled under Percy’s shirt as they rocked against each other, torturously hot lips setting the nerves -  
Percy yelped frantically as teeth grated gently against his hip-bone, lighting up an erogenous zone he hadn’t even known existed. He looked up and saw his own desperation reflected in those listing feline eyes. “Nico, I’m gonna-“  
“Ahhh, fuck Percy!" The younger demi-god suddenly cried as Percy grabbed his ass tight. His body spasmed and he increased the pace, both of that goddamned wicked hand on base of Percy’s cock and the speed he rode Percy’s thigh. Oh gods, the feeling of that stiff, excited erection, excited for him, wanting to fuck him, grinding against his leg was just about too much.  
“Not yet, Percy, not yet.” Nico moaned into his sticky neck, begging him to hold on with pleasure-glazed eyes. It was almost impossible, especially seeing the usually mysterious introvert lose his veneer for once. “You bitch -”  
He bowed his head and bared his teeth as he grabbed Percy’s ass with his free hand. The unexpected roughness at the back tightened Percy’s balls and he couldn’t hold out any longer. He was vaguely aware of Nico’s body juddering against his, hearing his own hoarse yell mingle with Nico’s urgent cries, but everything else was heat and ecstasy in the world of blotchy colours beneath his eyelids.  
“Oh you fucking bastard, oh you fucking bastard…” Nico panted, body crushing Percy against the earth, but the weight was an enjoyable one. Hot come flooded over Nico's hand against his skin, but he didn’t even care. The taste of Lotus drugs zinged through his mouth from Nico’s tongue, complimenting the languid feeling of the aftermath of the orgasm. He’d never felt so sexually satisfied in his life, and he hadn’t even had sex. If this had only been a handjob, he relished to think how good screwing would be.

Did he really want to go back to the boat? Uughnnn…Couldn’t he just stay here and relax, make love to Nico every day and never have to worry about the outside world? No…. He really didn’t want to face the facts, but the truth was that wherever he was, if Gaia won he’d be affected one day. Oh gods and Annabeth...No it had been the drugs. He could blame it on the Island. Percy knew he was lying to himself, but would she understand? And how could he possibly bring himself to tell her? He'd faced gods, titans, giants and even Tartarus itself, but they all seemed a walk in the park compared.  
“Mmm, mmm, mmm...” Nico mumbled into Percy’s neck, still panting and quivering from pleasure. Even though he felt sleepy and sapped of energy, Nico was the same way. This would be the best time to bring him back to the ship.  
“Come on,” Percy sat up, lifting the smaller body up with him. “We should go back.”  
“No,no.” Nico clung on tighter and a high giggle vibrated against Percy’s body. “We can stay, fuck and be happy. Nobody cares.”  
Persuasive lips found his neck again.  
“The others will come and find us, Nico.” He stroked that untidy, damp hair and tried to look concerned.  
“No.” Suddenly Nico scowled and earth began to mound around them, as if hands were clawing to the surface. In fact, hands probably were clawing to the surface. Well, there was only one thing to do.  
“Sorry.” Percy said, uncapped his pen-sword and rapped Nico over the head. The younger demi-god collapsed on the ground and the skeletons gave up the ghost again.

The way back was difficult. Most of him just wanted to sleep and eat fruit. He did stop in a stream to make the dark patch on his crotch blend in – Nico was wearing black, so his release wasn’t so visible, but Percy washed him and his hand off all the same after apologizing to the water.  
When the ship came into view, he was exhausted. Nico wasn’t small anymore (in any sense of the word), and carrying him over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift was as difficult as making Clarisse apologize.  
“Finally!” Annabeth ran over the sand and kissed him quickly. Nothing like the hot, tongue-tangling roughness of Nico’s kisses at all. But was what he had with Nico just lust, or something that could truly develop into a relationship? He didn't want to think about that right now. “We were about to send another party after you. What happened?”  
“Uumm,” All Percy think of was Nico’s shuddering body and his own hoarse, desperate cries. “He only comes when persuaded enough.”  
“Ok, the others are tied up on board – where’s your rope?” Oh. By the Furies, he’d completely forgotten he’d even had any.  
“Er, Nico kinda chopped it up.” Percy shifted the son of Hades on his shoulder and began to walk. “I’ll lock him in my quarters until the drugs wear off.”  
He tried to keep his face casual, but inside his heart was thudding with anticipation. Damn straight, he was going to keep this sexy beast in his room. He wanted to hate feeling like this with Annabeth smiling up at him…but blame Aphrodite, blame Eros, blame his randy Ancient Greek dad, whatever, but he _wanted_ Nico. And it seemed Nico didn’t mind in the slightest. Suddenly the whole outlook of the expedition seemed ten times more complicated.


	5. We Still Don't Know Whether Apollo Was Really There

5.

Ugh, fuck. Nico winced as his head throbbed and the light grated against his eyes. What…where was he? He gingerly sat up and immediately recognized the aqua blue of the room. There was a vague urge to climb out of bed and try to make a way back to the Island, but he smacked it away. What had happened? Why was he… OH FUCK. Suddenly, he felt heat and embarrassment wash over his body in a sizzling wave as he remembered. Either the drugs had given him some pretty fucking amazing hallucinations or he’d… he’d actually made out with Percy Jackson. And Percy had begged for more and come, writhing underneath him. A small, moan of yearning crooned in his throat as he thought about Percy’s hoarse yells of pleasure and those strong hips bucking uncontrollably…fuck that man was sexy! If it had been real, which seemed a fucking long shot if his luck was anything to go by, shit... Nico’s arm tingled gently and he scowled at it. Fucking desire and shit was the bane of his life. He ran his cool hands over the flush on his face, as he tried to sort the reality from hallucination. Because fuck, Apollo doing slut drops in a glittery gold thong had certainly been the drugs. Unless something _really _wild had gone down.__

Suddenly a key scraped in the door and Percy, tanned muscles rippling under a new Camp-Halfblood, t-shirt peered round the crack. Did he even know how gorgeous he was? Nico glared at him cautiously. If their make-out session had been a figment of his vivid imagination, then the last thing he wanted to do was creep an utterly straight guy out by trying to kiss him or something equally as obvious and shatter all hope of anything at all happening between them. Because… Percy had grabbed his hand yesterday and lied to him about the machinery…it had seemed like the son of Poseidon had wanted him to sleep in his bed. And then again, maybe hope was getting the fucking better of him. But shit, was it coincidence that he was back in Percy’s bed again? If so, it was too fucking coincidental.  
“How’re you?” Percy smiled and Nico kept up his walls. Percy being kind wasn’t unusual. That guy was nice to everyone except bastards. The fucking legend.  
“Feels like somebody smacked me over the head.”  
“Sorry,” Percy ruffled his own hair bashfully and held out a chunk of ambrosia. “That was me. I had to get you back to the ship.”  
“Why?” Fuck, it seemed as though he really had made it all up. Why the shit wasn’t he surprised?  
“I couldn’t leave you there.” Percy shrugged and sat down on the silky cover as Nico munched on the square. Maybe it was his imagination, but did Percy’s eyes flick to his lips? “Um, do you remember anything…y’know, from the Island?”  
A hot wash of humiliation mingled with desire tingled down Nico’s skin and he struggled to swallow the last of the medicine. Fuck yes he did. His arm and dick told him as much.  
Percy shifted closer, with a glance up at him. The proximity of the taller, well-built demi-god’s skin and his slight sea-scent coiled lust irresistibly down his stomach and coaxed his cock into a semi. Shiiit, this guy was like catnip to him.  
“I have my version of things.” Nico eyed Percy suspiciously and hoped that the savage craving he was feeling to fuck this guy was concealed. Oh fuck, why was Percy acting like this?! It wasn’t fair! Another coy glance got him from half-way to hard and throbbing with heat, sexual frustration and indecision. Had Eros' arrow entailed sending him into goddamn heat whenever Percy Jackson was around?  
“Do you remember this?” Before he realized what was happening, Percy leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. Adrenaline raced to his brain, making him white-hot and light headed. A terribly enticing warmth radiated from his mouth, tickled along his cheeks and zinged pleasure from the base of his neck to his already eager cock. Holy shit. Percy had kissed him. Holy, holy shit.  
Nico twisted his fingers into Percy’s thick hair and wrenched his head back.  
“That was real?” He panted, a little hostile. If Percy was playing a sick joke on him, that bastard was going down to meet Hades.  
“Mmm…” Percy bit his lip and arched back into Nico’s hand, now fully kneeling on the bed beside him. Fuck, that man was begging for it. Shit, holy Tartarus, he wanted in that submissive ass.  
One problem.  
“But you and Annabeth. You’re a thing. You went through Tartarus with her.”  
A small part of his brain didn’t want to believe Percy’s reciprocative actions. Nico had experienced so much disappointment, pain and frustration that it only seemed the natural thing. Though…he couldn’t help sounding a little jealous. That bitch, hording his man. Hording whore. Nico’s arm jolted with excitement as Percy sat back on his heels, revealing a significant bulge in his jeans. Fuck that man was hard for him! Shit!!  
“She, er…” Those clear blue eyes glanced down. It seemed Percy was denying something too. “She’s a good friend Nico…I don’t know, I just…want something more...”  
Simply put, Percy was fucking horny and Annabeth wasn’t putting out?  
“She’ll kill you if she hears that.” Nico still had his hand secured in Percy’s hair and the feeling of power over this demi-god was overwhelmingly arousing. He tugged Percy’s head down to his eye level, and to his satisfaction met no resistance.  
“I know.” Percy’s tone came out husky and fucking sexy. “I’m not a coward....well, maybe I am. I’ve thought about telling her, I want to tell her…I just…if this really is the end for us all? I want her to believe to the finish that I still love her as much as I’ve always done. Because I do. Just…as the best friend I’ve ever had. But she won’t understand that. I just...I don't think I could bear the thought of her hating me to the bitter end.”  
Jealous, complicated bitch. Fuck he was harsh. But why not? She’d inadvertently tortured him for years. Yeah, maybe he had a grudge complex.  
“And so instead you’re…gay?” It was a struggle to say the label out loud, but he’d struggled with this enough. Shit, if Percy was game that was the only thing he wanted in his life. The cruel talons of hope had taken hold of him now well and truly, even worse than icy desolation. If Percy cracked up and yelled ‘April Fools!’ the crew of the _Argos II_ would have a very messy murder to clean up. As in the room would have a whole new decoration scheme of Percy’s ass on a plaque.  
Instead, Percy’s eyes flicked to his neckline and an adventurous hand slid back the covers.  
“For you. I want you.” Those light eyes were lazy, sultry with yearning if Nico had ever seen it. Percy liked him. Percy wanted him the same way he’d hungered after the older demi-god for years. A shot of delight coiled from his arm to his brain, pumping adrenaline into overdrive again. The words wouldn’t stop reverberating in his head until they manifested as the first real grin he’d worn since fucking forever.  
“Then come the fuck here.”  
Percy didn’t even need to be pulled. As if to say ‘finally!’, he matched Nico’s grin and melted into the kiss, his tongue sliding slow and sexy against Nico’s own exploring one. Nico groaned, ecstatic, hot and the happiest he’d been in his entire life. Oh fuck, the weight of Percy’s much denser body crushing against his was perfect! He nipped the other man’s lip, making Percy whimper and push his lips harder on Nico’s, sucking and gently drawing his teeth along his tongue. Fuck the fucking bedclothes in the way. He roughly pushed Percy up, yanked them off and then tore at that orange shirt, wanting it gone, wanting to see that bronze, muscular body.  
“Oh Nico...” Percy’s moan was the sexiest thing he’d heard in his life. He reared up on his knees, straddling Nico’s hips, and wrenched the fabric off, panting, already damp with sweat. Mmmm, fuck that body was mouth-watering.  
“You are so sexy, Jackson.” Nico growled and yanked those powerful shoulders back down to him. He had no fucking idea whether the rest of the crew were missing Percy or if they were going to come looking for him, but not a fuck did he give. He wanted Percy’s naked body against his, slick with sweat and ready for sex.  
Suddenly Percy ground his erection hard against Nico’s own restrained cock, making them both cry out with the shock of unexpected pleasure. No. Percy wasn’t going to come in the confines of his jeans like last time…but – oh fuck!  
“Shit, Percy!” The son of Poseidon thrust against him harder and faster, one hand under his ass to boost the leverage, the other tugging at his shirt. Nico let out a ragged gasp, voice high and helpless before he could stop himself. The rhythm was so fucking amazing that it was all Nico could do to break it and push Percy off, back onto his knees. Fuck that bitch. Fuck that bitch haard. He tossed his shirt on the floor, but suddenly the sight of Percy above him, bare chest heaving with pleasure and their wild exertion, gave him another idea.  
“Get off me.” He pleaded, voice husky with craving to taste Percy’s skin under his lips. The tanned demi-god obeyed, a curious look in his eyes.  
“Nico - ” Percy let out a wide-eyed gasp as Nico flicked his tongue over a hard nipple, slid his hungry hands over those muscular shoulders and down the back of the man’s jeans. “Oh!”  
The son of the sea-god rolled his hips wildly, eyes feral with base carnal lust.  
Nico couldn't help but let out a moan as he squeezed those tight ass-cheeks and sucked on the erect nubs in turn, procuring higher yelps of urgency from his victim each time. Fuck, his boner almost hurt now with the desire to be stroked, sucked or fucked into release. He fucking needed it before the simple _noises_ Percy was making sent him over the edge. But first…  
He grazed his lips down those smooth, defined abdominal muscles to a hip-bone. One small bite got Percy hoarsely gasping for more, and he tongued the sweet-spot, relishing the way these fucking vigorous hips shuddered desperately, hoping to meet something to relieve the building sexual frustration.  
“Please Nico!” The look on the other demi-god's face was a blend of astonishment and hunger. A hand gripped his hair, but Nico didn’t need telling twice. He twisted his fingers into Percy’s belt and yanked it off. This guy seemed to like it rough. Good.  
Mmm, he’d never anticipated just how hard the bulge of a man’s cock would feel against his lips. It was irresistible. Percy undone, pupils blown with pleasure, was irresistible.  
“Gods, just take them off!” Percy cried and squealed even louder when Nico smacked his ass. The son of Hades grinned at the sound that bordered on cute. Percy Jackson was a squealer alright. Nico had wanted to do this for years. He was going to fucking enjoy every second.  
Slowly, he slid the fabric over that fucking hot ass and those muscular thighs. All the while Percy panted huskily, fingers clenching into Nico's shoulders in anticipation.  
The older demi-god groaned frantically as his pants came off. Shit, that cock was sexy. “Please, please, please!”  
“Shhh…” Nico pressed his lips against the smooth skin, his own erection throbbing with hunger for satisfaction. He slipped his hands around the ass he'd wanted to explore for years.  
“So…” He flicked his tongue out over the soft skin of the member. “Fucking…” He repeated it, but this time harder, eliciting a strangled moan from Percy. “Sexy.”  
Oh shit, it really was.  
“Jeans. Off. Now.” A large hand yanked at his studded belt and he knelt up, caressing that gorgeous ass as Percy stripped him. A bubble of shyness, of introverted reluctance to become totally exposed welled up within him for a moment or two. But a wave of heat from the arrow-wound in his arm knocked it away. Percy's ravenous eyes fixed on his straining cock, and Nico panted under his gaze, a hot wave of sexual craving slamming through him. Fuck, he needed this. He’d needed it for years.  
“Mmm, Nico…” The tone of Percy’s voice was beyond appreciative and a slow smile crept onto his face. "I like this. This is fun."  
“I -” Nico gasped as warm fingers trailed down his dusky cock. He didn't even have time to agree that this was definitely the most fun he'd had in a little under 70 years before a convulsion of pleasure had him clinging onto Percy’s shoulders. He hadn't even realized his muscles had thrown him forward.  
Percy slipped his hand off Nico's cock, and the younger demi-god almost cried out with frustration. Then other man’s warm, naked body moved closer. Their cocks touched lightly, sending a spasm of sharp pleasure sparking up Nico’s spine, until Percy pressed them together with a firm grip.  
“Holy Hades' hoes!” Nico heard and felt Percy giggle at his curse, but it soon melted into their desperate moans they ground together in a hot mess of skin, sweat and ferocious kissing. Fuck, he was so close! No. Not fucking yet. Not yet. He wrapped his hand around Percy’s throat and pushed him back, throbbing with fever for this man’s body. The other demi-god keened wordlessly, and eyed him with desperation, unsatisfied.  
“Now,” Nico leaned up, voice throaty, panting, and bit that fucking delicious man’s neck. Percy took one high, ragged gasp after another, heaving chest deliciously firm against Nico’s own pecs. He slid his hands back over that ass again. “I’m gonna suck you till you come in my mouth, understand?”  
“Yes, yes, yes!” Percy’s body was already shivering from the work Nico’s fingers were doing, and his eyes inconsistently fluttered open and shut.  
Ok, fuck, Nico had been holding out as long as he fucking could. Now…now he dropped down, skimming that tanned skin as he went, till he reached that pulsing cock.  
“Unh, shit…” He moaned, maybe to himself and sucked the base, sliding his tongue up the sides. He had never done this before, but how difficult could it be? Actually owning a dick himself was a real bonus for handy hints and tips.  
“Nico, you – “ Percy ascended into high, broken gasps as Nico reached the swollen head and flicked his tongue along the slit. The demi-god’s thighs spasmed, and Nico wrapped his lips around his cock, taking it as far back into his throat as he could. It was thick and hot, the feeling of that silky skin pleasurable against his tongue, sending signals along his spine to arch his ass up for sex. But instead of pushing the rhythm hard and fast, he brought it to a slow, heady suck, focussing on delighting every inch of nerves. And by holy fuck, it worked a dream; it sounded like Percy was biting his hand in an effort to subdue any noises loud enough to be heard on deck. Suddenly a ripple shuddered through his body and the man instinctively thrust deeper, grunting, into Nico’s mouth, almost making him gag.  
Fuck it. Percy was going to skull-fuck him if he didn’t pick up the pace before he came. He smacked that ass even harder than before and greedily attacked the throbbing cock in his mouth, curious about what the son of Poseidon’s come would taste like. The spot on his arm burned like a pulsing brand of pleasure.  
“Oh GODS!” Percy cried and threw his head back, thighs shaking with the effort to stay kneeling and not collapse. A flood of liquid shot into Nico’s throat, salty and hot, nearly making him splutter and gag from the shock of it, but he managed to swallow without coughing.  
“Ohh...” The larger demi-god clung to his hair and neck, moaning with each uneven breath. “That was amazing. Of many of the skills you have, Nico…”  
Shit, he couldn’t get his head round the fact that he’d actually caused Percy Jackson so much pleasure that he couldn’t even hold his body up properly. Smug? Yeah, a little. Excited? Fuck yeah. He had Percy. Percy wanted him. It was almost too good to be true –what the-  
“Come for me, Nico…” A lazy hand settled on his cock, stroking slowly, luxuriously, but holy fucking bitches of Zeus the almighty pimp, that was fucking perfect.  
“Oh fuck yes, Jackson.” Nico's voice grated as his eye met Percy's orgasm-languid ones. The older demi-god bent his head, keeping his rhythm, and –  
Nico yelped as his hot tongue toyed with his already-overstimulated cock. Inevitable fire raged in his groin as Percy sucked on the head and worked the base with his hand. He couldn’t fucking keep his eyes open or think of anything but the incredible drunkenness of pleasure and release. Fuck, he needed to be in Percy’s mouth!  
“Take it in! Please!” He cried and urgently grasped Percy’s hair as the other man complied. There was nothing like looking down and seeing a fantasy from a hundred nights re-enacting itself in reality. For a second he was afraid that some of the other crew might have heard him, but Percy was eager to provide a distraction from that.  
Seeing those fucking hot lips (hot in more ways than one) wrapped around his cock, sucking him eagerly was far too much for him to take. A blinding rush of heat and…for a strange, ecstatic second, he felt a tug from the bones crushed beneath the sand of the sea floor, but Percy’s low groan of satisfaction snapped it.  
“You’re so sexy when you writhe.” The son of Poseidon groaned and wiped his mouth, eyes flickering appreciatively, even playfully, up Nico’s flat stomach and chest.  
“Fuck you.” Nico panted in languid good humour and lowered himself onto his side, facing Percy. Holy shit, he felt good - like ambrosia embodied. The other demi-god just raised an eyebrow cockily, and Nico shot a lazy smirk back. “Later, you’ll wear me out.”  
They laughed for a minute and Nico felt like some dark, heavy thing inside him had been lifted and replaced with light. Was something good finally going to come his way? Come being the operative word, of course. Yeah, he had to be careful. Death followed him like a sadistic shadow. So he should enjoy what he had _now _. Later…fuck it. He nuzzled up against Percy’s warm shoulder and let the indulgency of orgasm carry him into a doze.__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are enjoying it! I certainly am :P  
> Also - I read the entire first series without realizing Percy's eyes were green, so I've written them in as blue. I always imagined the son of the sea god would have blue eyes; it just seemed kinda logical (and it made him less of a Harry Potter clone) and I couldn't get it out of my head. The same with Nico - I swear somewhere he (or maybe Hades) was described with yellow eyes and it just stuck. Sorry!


	6. Nico Puts the Family Jewels on Display

6.

Aw, Nico was cuter than Little Bob the Sabretooth kitten when he was asleep. A pang of grief shot through Percy at the thought of Bob, his cat and their giant friend, all dead or worse. But that was the life of warriors really. To always keep in the game, no distant future thought, no past. Tomorrow he might die. Nico might die. Annabeth might be killed. It was no good thinking like that.  
Percy looked back at the curled-up form in his bed. Gods that was sweet! Except for the fact that the son of Hades would probably bash his face in if he ever caught Percy calling him ‘sweet’.  
Not in all Olympus had he imagined finding this guy as attractive as cheeseburgers in Tartarus. But now? Nico had shown him that an Underworld demi-god could be as steamy and hot as Apollo’s kids. Uuugh, that lean body seemed to lure his eyes back tempt him to touch it again…but he’d been gone suspiciously long as it was. Somebody was going to come looking for them, and whoever it was, explaining why he and Nico were fully naked in bed together would be a stretch for even a Hermes demi-god. A friendly bout of skinny-dipping? Really strange accident? Ancient Greek wrestling? Heat fizzed over his skin at the thought of rubbing oil into Nico’s muscles and contesting their strength. Percy was pretty sure he’d win, but…mmm…his body remembered the delicious powerless sensation he’d felt when Nico had grasped him by the hair or throat. Yeah, it was different from his norm. Usually it was ‘oh, protect my ass Percy, summon some water on their asses Percy, break your ass for me Percy…’ (probably not in the exact same wording but asses, especially Nico’s, were on his mind) and it felt surprisingly pleasurable to be forced into submission. Forced meaning Nico grabbed him and he obeyed like a faun eager for gold. Holy Hades, that guy had something wild caged up in there. Well...it seemed like they had huge amount of pent-up sexual frustration. And looking back at ancient Greece (especially Achilles) that could literally become a matter of public safety sooner or later for a demigod. It was probably for the best that they were wearing each other out.  
Mmm, Percy wanted to stay, sleep beside the son of Hades for the rest of the day....but with a restrained sigh he gently slid out of the bed and shucked back into his clothing, all the while admiring Nico’s body shamelessly. Yeah, he liked girls – Annabeth, Rachel and Calypso had all got him up and interested…but the hard, defined planes of that younger man’s physique were so irresistible; so different but exciting. It was like when he looked at Nico, he couldn’t even imagine when he hadn’t recognized that he was bisexual. It just seemed utterly natural. Good Zeus, he’d creepily ogled this poor sleeping guy enough. He grudgingly covered up that pale, seductive skin and headed back to deck.

“How is he?” Hazel ran up to him as soon as he appeared.  
“Tired.” Now, after coming down my throat. “I think he ate a lot more of the Lotus drugs than the rest of you.”  
“That’s really weird.” She frowned in the bright sunny wash of midday. “Nico usually treats everything with caution.”  
Percy hadn’t talked to anybody about any exchange between him and the son of Hades on that Island. Even the thought of the sensual creature Nico had become gently persuaded blood to his already-satisfied dick. Talking about it would probably have him drooling like Mrs O’Leary. And that may look slightly odd.  
“Hey Percy,” Jason suddenly called from across the deck. He looked strange – curiously controlled and almost self-conscious. “Can I, uh, talk with you?”  
Was Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, blushing?  
He glanced back at Hazel. “I wouldn’t go and ask Nico about it now, he’s asleep. Maybe later? Jason seems to want me…”  
“Yeah.” She looked at the other Roman quizzically. “Is it just me or is he acting weird – ooh, great.”  
The daughter of Pluto made a sour face and clenched the railing of the ship. “Time for me to go lie down again.”  
“I’ll try and keep the boat steady.” Percy smiled and watched her leave. Jason replaced her with a knowing grin.  
“So, uuuh, dude.”  
“Yeah?” Percy raised his eyebrows, intrigued. What was Jason so happy about? Had he got laid last night or something?  
“How’s Nico?” Jason raised his eyebrows suggestively, trying not to smile. It was completely impossible that this guy had already figured that they were hot on each other so…  
“Fine…” He glanced back at his grinning friend, suspicion and self-consciousness burning his cheeks like a sassy retort from Apollo. Jason still looked like a cat with a ton of cream and a few human servants to top it. That grin was impossible. He felt himself smiling too.  
“What is it, thunder-boy?”  
“Weeelll, seaman…”  
“Dirty.” Percy punched him light-heartedly in the shoulder and Jason punched him back.  
“You’re calling _me _dirty!” The son of Jupiter laughed and made an expression of mock offense. “Cause, y’know, you were taking a while with Nico and I thought he might have killed you, so I went to check on you guys like a good friend does when he thinks one his friends has murdered the other one, and then I got to your door and I was totally about to open it when I heard you, I think it was, say something pretty loud - I wasn’t exactly listening at the keyhole! – like ‘Jeans off now’ and then some _other___ noises and I was like ‘I ain’t opening the door on that!’ Soo…”  
The Roman took a huge breath and looked at him with an expectant grin. Percy stared at Jason in both embarrassment, amazement, confusion and a touch of fear. That guy hadn’t even taken in air! He’d even got a gesticulating hand working. Should he lie? Or tell Jason him and Nico were…what? What were they?  
“Um…” He looked at his friend with a slight frown of bewilderment. “Dude, I think Piper’s rubbing off on you.”  
“Percy, if anybody you and Nico are rubbing off on each other if you get me…” Jason winked. What was with this guy? Maybe giving up the restraint and order of Roman ways had finally snapped his brain. “But seriously.”  
“Look Jason, you can’t tell _anybody_ about this ok?” He glanced uneasily over his shoulder, but the rest of the crew were oblivious to his and Jason’s man-chat. “I don’t even know how it really happened.”  
“So it did happen?” Jason grinned again, but he seemed a little more controlled now. Percy nodded and the Roman beamed.  
“I don’t think you know just how happy that’ll make that poor guy.” He clapped Percy on the shoulder so hard that his knees almost buckled. “I gotta go teach Piper some more sparring. Break it to Annabeth gently, dude!”  
A cold, uncomfortable blade of tension twisted in gut when he thought of telling her. Gods, if she didn’t kill him, Athena would if he upset her daughter. He really needed to man up. He'd do it this week. Yeah. Whenever the timing felt right.

The change in Nico over the next day was extraordinary. The guy was still habitually withdrawn and dark, but by all the gods, Piper had got the fright of her life when he’d smiled at her and offered to help with the rigging and Leo had almost dropped his toolkit when Nico laughed at one of his jokes. Sweet snakes of Hermes, the son of Hades was so handsome when he smiled, and Percy couldn’t take his eyes of him. Once or twice, Jason actually had to prod him at mealtimes or in a group discussion because he was staring blatantly at Nico, fantasizing about ripping off his clothes again. And sucking him off. And kissing him. Gods, he wanted to kiss that demi-god so badly it almost hurt. And the worst part was that whenever the teasing bastard noticed Percy’s admiration, he’d send him a smouldering, salacious look that got his cock up and ready faster than Arian could run. By the time it was dark, Percy couldn’t concentrate on anything. His guard shift was up for the next couple of hours, but no way would he be able to sleep with desire like this raging around in his system.  
“Good day, huh?” Nico materialized beside him at the railing, making Percy jump out of his skin. In a delightful way.  
“Could be better.” Percy glanced over innocently at the son of Hades and arched his back in a stretch. Look at my body, Nico, he persuaded with his mind. You know you want it. Needless to say, he felt like a complete slut tonight.  
Nico’s feline eyes flicked to his ass and indulgently crawled back up to his face. Usually that dark gaze was difficult to read. Right now? It was clear as day. Nico di Angelo wanted him. No questions. Goooood. The thought sent a shimmer of desire through his stomach, and for what felt like the zillionth time that day, his dick got curious. Was there a god of erections? (Well, apart from Zeus.) Because if there was, he really wished that deity would give him a break.  
“Day’s not quite done yet.” Nico looked up at him lazily and drummed his fingers on the cold metal bar they leant on.  
“Oh really?” Percy shifted closer, till he could feel the warmth of the other man’s body in the cooling night air. “Maybe we should go someplace and find out.”  
By his father Poseidon’s beard, if Nico turned him down, his sexual drive _would_ become a public safety issue. He’d freaking rage-quit the quest. Jump into the sea and sulk. Something extreme and very childish.  
A cool hand reached over and sensually stroked from his thumb to his knuckles. Unexpected points of pleasure down his spine and shoulders lit up and the skin tingled in the wake of Nico’s nails.  
“Good idea.” There was a sudden tug and a tremendous whooshing noise. Black upon black raced past his vision, so fast that his clothing rippled out behind him and clung to his chest. When it stopped… was this Nico’s ship cabin? It was much smaller than his and tidier. This guy had hardly anything except a massive bowl of diamonds on his dresser and some clothes.  
“Nico…” Percy glanced at his friend - was friend the right word anymore? – and back at the glimmering stones.  
“Hades gave them to me.” Nico shrugged. “I don’t really know what to do with them. Want one?”  
“Your dad just _gives_ you things?” Poseidon hardly ever even sent him a note!  
“Yeah.” The son of Hades looked slightly apologetic. “Pretty though.”  
Nico didn’t look at the jewels when he said that.  
“Mmm. I agree.” Percy gazed straight at Nico and stroked down his bare, muscular arm. The younger man slowly, sensually moved closer till their bodies were in such tantalizingly proximity that Percy began to feel his breath catch with desire. Those yellow eyes caught him in a mesmerizing gaze. Well, if Nico wanted to be a snake-charmer, he was doing well, in the dirtiest intention of the phrase.  
Ever so gently, Nico’s lips caught his; light, curious. Percy ran his hand down the black fabric of Nico’s shirt and slid their bodies together, slow and luxurious. The warmth of another sexually aroused man against him sent the blood racing down to fuel his eager cock and stirred another unexpected quiver in his ass. He wanted Nico to touch him there, to take him into new territory of sexual discovery… But they didn’t have to rush. They had time. They could enjoy exploring. He lazily pressed his erection against the hard bulge in Nico’s jeans…wow, that guy got big.  
“Fuck, Jackson.” Nico growled and slowly ground against him, one hand rhythmically massaging his shoulders, the other working his ass. For some reason, the use of his last name _really_ turned Percy on. He gave a muted moan in response and sucked at the vulnerable skin on the other man’s throat, producing high gasps. He could physically feel Nico shiver with pleasure.  
The younger demi-god kissed him again, but this time more confidently, more urgent. That hot tongue against his, those teeth catching his bottom lip was delicious! More. He wanted skin. Percy ran his fingers under that loose shirt, touching as much as he could, lifting the fabric as he went. Nico backed away for a second and threw the shirt off. His pale, smooth chest heaving in the moonlight was erotic beyond belief.  
“Since when,” Percy panted and cocked an eyebrow at his friend's definition. “did you get so ripped?”  
“Let’s see.” Nico’s devilish fingers trickled up his shirt and caught a sensitive nub.  
“Ah!” Annabeth had never even contemplated teasing his nipples like this – with a flick here and an almost-too-rough tweak there…he leaned into the pleasure moaning for more.  
“When I _really_ started wanting to impress you.”  
Percy let him slide the rest of the shirt off, and immediately pressed their bodies together. Looking down Nico’s back, a wave of heated desire flushed through him as the loose jeans Nico wore suggested the curve of the demi-god’s bare ass underneath. A great ass was something that liked in women and men it seemed, but good gods…that was downright pornographic right there. Even if they weren’t naked yet. Naked had its benefits. Clothing did too. Clothing could be taken off slow and sexy.  
“Impress me _more_ ?” That ass was impressing him right now, enough to turn his voice into a deeper, husky sound. Percy wondered what Nico did to make it look so arousing. He slid his hand down, kissing those lean shoulders.  
“Mmm…” The son of Hades moaned and bent to his touch, hard cock sliding along Percy’s in an increasingly feverish pace. Percy grunted, trying to think, trying to keep Nico pleasured instead of focussing only on his own need. “I’m sure we can talk later...not while – oh! - you’re doing – fuck!”  
That high cry in his ear, followed by ravenous, quick lips and teeth on his neck, shot spikes of zinging pleasure through his body to pool in his groin. Percy pushed his hand further, slipping his fingers down that tight crevice. Hot desire flushed through his muscles making him groan with yearning and his head spin. He wanted Nico tonight. All the way.  
Lithe fingers undid his belt, sending spurts of adrenaline and delight through the already over-stimulated nerves the fabric deserted.  
“Doing what?” What the –  
That icy tone was not Nico, although the son of Hades jumped a country mile and scrambled for his shirt. A wrench of dread, guilt and shame yanked Percy’s gut and he quickly buckled his jeans back up. Annabeth stood in the door, face like the cold glint of her mother’s statue. 


	7. Annabeth and Nico Compare Swords

No. Why, in the name of cruel Aphrodite did Annabeth have to come now? He would have told her. Just…later. His body still pounded with heat and lust, warring against the misery.  
“Don’t look at me like that, Percy Jackson.” She growled, tone horribly soft. “You don’t think I wouldn’t notice you staring at him like some stupid love-sick puppy all day? Then you both mysteriously disappear? Do you think I’m an idiot?”  
“Annabeth, I’m so sorry…” What else could he say? He didn't even understand half of what had happened over the last two or three days.  
“ _Sorry?_ ” The leftover dregs of pleasure from Nico’s touch still danced through his system, adding to the brick of disgrace in his stomach. “What was all that bull about settling down in that godsforsaken Roman camp that I was willing to do _for you_ even though I couldn’t stand the idea? Hmm? Did Tartarus mean absolutely _nothing_?”  
“No it – “  
“I save your sorry ass how many times, and this is how you repay me?”  
Repay? Hold on. Something inside Percy growled at those stormy, raging eyes. Nico had saved their lives a hundred times over by befriending Bob and he’d never asked for payment. Without Nico, the rest of their friends would never have made it to the Doors of Death. Clytius would have killed them without that Stygian sword absorbing the darkness, and the armies of Gaia would be unleashed on the world. Without Nico they would never have got out that cave alive, nor would the statue of Athena be in Camp Half-Blood. Without Nico’s knowledge they would have been stuck from the get-go and Hazel would still be dead. Did he ask for _repayment_ ? No! In fact he’d barely accepted thanks!  
“So going out with me is _payment_ for what we go through?” He stepped forward, aware of how intimidating he could be. Unfortunately, Annabeth knew he knew.  
“Don’t you dare turn this on me!” She snarled. “What have I ever done to deserve this? Is it because you don’t get laid five times a week, you cheating, superficial bastard?”  
“Superficial?” A torrent of anger swirled through his limbs. “I love you Annabeth. You’re my best friend and have been for so many years.”  
“ _Friend?_ ” She spat and suddenly that wicked drakon bone dagger was in her hand. “After everything we’ve been through, I get _friend_ whereas that bastard -”  
She gestured violently to Nico, who was shrouded in the shadow of the wall beside Percy. “That bastard, who betrayed you, lied to you, pretended he didn’t know you, dragged your sorry ass into gods know how many traps – you choose him over me?”  
Her voice shook, and it broke Percy’s heart. Tears were coming and she didn’t deserve them.  
“Annabeth, we were the best of friends before we started dating. Why can’t we -”  
“You look like a gentleman, Percy,” She cut him off, voice wavering, and the sharp point of the bone blade gently grazed the flesh in the centre of his chest. “But inside you’re another insolent man with the instincts of a Minotaur – you don’t care who you hurt, so long as you get your dick in someone. No wonder my mother gave your kind up.”  
He felt utterly helpless. How could he explain his sudden attraction to Nico? Annabeth wouldn’t listen. He knew her. If there was no logical explanation, she would formulate one: a) him being a complete and total bastard. b) Her being inadequate, which made him a superficial complete and total bastard. There was no winning in an argument against a child of Athena. Percy wished he had a better concept of the situation so he knew which one of them was in the wrong. Probably him for not telling her straight away, but it had all been so sudden...  
The knife pushed harder and blood trickled down his chest. A metallic _shiiing_ grated from beside him, and immediately Percy felt the cold aura of Nico’s Stygian blade. The shadows in the room yawned deeper with black maws and goosebumps rippled over Percy’s bare torso.  
“Put the knife down, Annabeth, because even if Percy won’t defend himself, I will.” Nico’s voice was deathly quiet. Percy didn’t know whether to feel glad for the defense and support or angry at Nico for being so tactless to his best friend who was so near tears. For a second, Annabeth looked between him and Nico in disbelief, as in questioning _‘is this really true?’_ Then the pressure on his chest retracted and she spun on her heel out the door. Down the corridor, the echoes told Percy she was swallowing her sobs, trying to maintain her dignity.  
“Annabeth-“  
Luckily Nico took hold of his arm before he could follow her. There was nothing he could think of saying or doing. Just clawing grief and frustration. Why was life never straightforward?  
“Give her space.” The son of Hades was watching him with apprehension, walls up again. True, he’d tried to strangle Nico in the past before and thought about it many other times. That guy had learned to expect a good strangulation when he royally cocked up. But right now? It wasn’t Nico’s fault. Love was always a monster, especially one-sided love.  
“Thank you, Nico.” The black-haired demi-god raised his eyebrows in surprise as Percy hugged him. He would cry. Sometime tonight when nobody could hear him.  
“How can you thank me?” A wary hand settled in his hair, stroking rhythmically, comforting. Despite himself, pleasure tingled through his spine, throwing his back and shoulder muscles into happy spasms. “After everything I’ve done. Annabeth’s right, you know. I’m not exactly a star, and now I’ve gone and fucked you two up.”  
Sometimes Nico was damn stupid. “Don’t make me strangle you, Nico. Your courage and heroism should be set among the stars. Without you we’d all either be dead or worse.”  
“Don’t raise me onto a pedestal I don’t belong on.” The tone was sharp, but the hand in his hair kept up the gentle massage. “All I’ve ever wanted to do is help you and keep you safe – even impress you. Purely selfish.”  
What? Percy looked down at the grimacing younger man. He still seemed a little ashamed. “Why do you think I suggested the curse of Achilles? So nothing could hurt you. Persuaded Hades to fight? To help you and impress you.”  
Nico was studying the ground now, striking features picked out by the ethereal light of the moon. “Followed you into the Labyrinth cause I wanted to protect you, befriended Bob so if anything happened to me and you needed a friend in the Underworld, you’d have one. Even bringing Hazel back and studying the Doors of Death was just practise in case you died so I could resurrect you. I’m a fucking selfish bastard and now, perhaps, I’ve even jeopardized this war with internal conflict because I’ve got what I wanted.”  
He sat on the edge of his bed, head in his hands, like the night Percy had called him from Camp Half-Blood. Broken open. Suddenly, Percy felt as though he’d been blind and Bob had suddenly touched his eyes saying “Owie.” This demigod, Nico di Angelo, had given everything for him, shown him loyalty beyond measure without him even noticing. Even love. If anything, it was selfless and unsung.  
A swell of emotion filled his heart where Annabeth had just drained it. He still loved her. In her heart of hearts she knew that. But Nico was something in a completely different league.  
“I used your ship to get to the Land of the Lotus Eaters so I could escape, run away…” Nico grimaced and stared at the ground through his fingers. “I’m a fucking coward and I put myself before the crew.”  
“Sometimes you’re right, Nico.” Percy slipped his hand over that cooler, long-fingered one. “And sometimes you’re a complete twat. After all you’ve been through, I’d want to do exactly the same. And I started to notice you like… _that_ before I knew you were inclined. Annabeth was getting to me before we made out on the Island. And if you dare say it was your fault again, I _will_ choke you.”  
Nico glanced up at him with a weak smile. It seemed like he recognized a strangling Percy when he saw one. “Sounds like a plan.”  
Percy tilted that strong jaw up with a coaxing finger and pressed his lips against Nico’s, venting all his comfort, happiness, sadness, all his guilt, stress and excitement for the future into that kiss. Tomorrow would be difficult. But for now…he could find his own sanctuary in the warmth and pleasure of Nico’s talented tongue.


	8. Finally, Some Homoerotic Greek Fighting

Fucking fuck-sluts, that bitch was a motherfucking problem! Nico knew he was being unfair. But he’d wanted Percy so bad last night it had almost hurt. And fuck, he couldn’t believe he’d been so careless. His sex life, especially his orientation was not something he wanted to share. And son of a bitch, he’d wished his father had carried him off when Annabeth had walked in, he was so embarrassed. Urrgh, at least she’d had kept quiet about it. Nico could commend her on that. The rest of the crew had definitely noticed that all was not well with the golden couple though. Well, with Annabeth sulking in a corner and ignoring him and Percy outright, it was pretty impossible to miss. Piper was running off her mouth with moronic rumours that Percy had wanted to break up with Annabeth and tried to soften the blow by saying that Nico wanted to date her instead, which was fucking ridiculous. True, he had a soft spot for Piper. She’d saved his life. But that didn’t make the rumour any less fucking stupid. He felt a little sorry for Annabeth, but seriously… why should he apologize? She wouldn't even listen to him and it would blow the rumours up further. It was not as though he was going to stop trying to fuck Percy. It wasn’t as though he could help wanting to fuck Percy – he’d been trying to get that gorgeous ass out of his head for years. And it wasn’t like Annabeth would accept any sort of peace offering anyway. So screw it. If she wanted to try fucking emotional blackmail, he was the king of ignoring that shit. He scowled in his own little black cloud for a minute.  
“Nico, what happened with Annabeth?” Whoa, what the whores of Hades?! Hazel had climbed up to the crow’s nest where he’d been sun-bathing and watching Percy spar with Jason. Fucking gave him the fright of his life.  
Nico surveyed his half-sister. He cared about her and trusted her with most things. But this? This was too deep.  
“They had a fight.” He kept his voice level and mildly concerned. “I defended Percy -“ because that bitch can tear Minotaurs apart with words – “and that didn’t go down too well.”  
“Oh. Why did they fight?” She hopped in beside him and looked out over the sparkling sea. “I know I don’t know Annabeth that well, but from what I heard from Percy, he really loved her.”  
A stab of green-eyed jealousy impaled Nico through the gut. No. Percy was _his_. Shut the fuck up, Nico, you stupid shit. If Percy didn’t want him, he’d have begged for Annabeth back by now. Urgh, fuck he hated his mind-set sometimes. It didn’t want to believe anything good could happen to him.  
“It’s…I guess it’s not my place to say.” Didn’t like avoiding the truth with Hazel, but he wasn’t ready to go public with this shit.  
“Well, it’s not much, but I’m sorry you got caught up in this.” She reached over and hugged him. Yeah. Caught up. He fucking started it. What a bastard.  
“Thanks.” The scent of her hair and her warmth was comforting. For a while this girl had been the only light in his world of loneliness. Nico kissed her on the cheek as they parted and smiled. “You really make me feel better.”  
Hazel looked momentarily stunned and then beamed back. “Good!”  
Wait a second, what in all fuck was that?!  
“Hazel, do you see…” He yanked out his binoculars and sure enough… “Land! Look!”  
She snatched his binoculars from his hand. Yeah, they were both excited to ditch this boat. She was seasick almost every day, and fuck, the ocean was a bitch in his opinion. Land was safer. Land was good. Gaia was land, but she was sleeping for now.  
“Whoohoo!” She crushed him in a hug again. “Look guys! LAND!”  
Percy and Jason both stopped sparring and followed her finger. That sexy-ass sea-bitch nodded. Greece.

 

It took them till midday to get to shore, but feeling land again was practically like groping Percy’s ass. Firm and fucking incredible. Plus there was another weird tug. A deep pull in his very bones, as if he really belonged here. Something ancient within Nico reared its dark head and purred in satisfaction, fuelled by the detection of its long-awaited return home. Fuck, that was powerful. The air itself seemed to give him strength and pump energy to his muscles like a rush of liquid steel lending vigour to his limbs. If they were going to fight Gaia anywhere, he was as sure as all shit that he could whip her mountainous titties here.  
The Romans didn’t look too happy though, especially Frank.  
“I don’t think we should stay here.” He eyed the beach camping reserve with unease. They’d chosen to dock at an ambiguous bay and figure out the plan from there. It seemed Athens was a good place to go, but the _Argos II_ was like a fucking mountain beacon for any allies of Gaia.  
“What? No way!” Percy grinned and caught Nico’s eye. Oh dear mother of fucking, he looked good in the mid-afternoon light: his skin glowed with a delicious bronze tan, picking out the rippling musculature perfectly in his bare arms. The cool wind had hardened his nipples and was playing with the edges of his shirt, revealing tempting glimpses of that toned, smooth stomach. Nico had presumed this quest would be hard. It had turned out to make him uncontrollably hard instead.  
“I agree!” Piper leaned against Jason and breathed in deeply. Even with the teasing breeze, her hair fell in absolute perfection and the way the light danced on her looked as though she had her own personal photoshop. Beautiful, for a girl. Even Annabeth looked happier.  
“Right, let’s go.” She nodded at Jason and Piper, without even a glance at Percy. “Sorry Frank, but we have to do this.”  
Cruel bitch. To see Percy’s happiness fall into a saddened grimace was utter shit.  
“You alright?” He casually strode up to the son of Poseidon, ignoring the plea from his dick to shadow-travel the man off to a hotel in Paris and give him a cheering blow job. Or they could fuck each other. Whatever would make the man smile. No. Time and place. Aw gods... Now that he was closer, he could see Percy’s eyes were bloodshot and puffy. That was just a fucking ice-pick to his heart.  
“I’ve been better, I guess.” Those tired blue eyes followed Annabeth up the slope as they walked. “She’s been my friend for years.”  
“I’m – “  
“Don’t you dare apologize.” Percy threw him a wan smile. “I’ll throttle you, remember?”  
Nico couldn’t help a laugh. Shit, how did Percy make him feel so fucking happy?  
“S’good to see you laughing, Nico di Angelo.” That gorgeous bastard almost reached over to stroke his cheek, but glanced back at Hazel and Frank following them warily.  
“You make me happy.” That was the most sincere thing Nico felt he’d ever said. Over the course of the years, Percy had made him angry, alone, depressed, suicidal, hopeful, frustrated…but now was the happiest he’d ever been in his entire life.

 

By nightfall, everyone was tired of pushing through forest, (they were too cautious to follow the brick-red 4WD track) but Jason still suggested they train for fighting.  
“Demi-god powers aside,” He warned, “Fighting skills may win the day.”  
Nico was fine with it, even though he’d been sparring ghosts and skeletons since he’d realized they were heading for an intense war. Summoning heroes from the past had its benefits. They had serious moves.  
“We can have a competition!” Frank suggested. “It would make it more fun.”  
“For you!” Piper grinned nervously. “No way am I going up against you boys!”  
“Oh go on!” Jason took her wrist and led her into the middle of the clearing. “Attack me!”  
She gave him a grudging look and whipped out her knife. It really wasn’t a fair fight, but Jason knew it. At every mistake, he’d give her a friendly pointer and let her practise what he’d taught her, until he flicked the knife out of her hand with a grin.  
“See, not so bad?”  
Piper just stuck her tongue out at him and laughed. “Such a gentleman.”  
“Go on, go practise with Annabeth. She’s the best with knives.” Annabeth had backed out of the game, which was probably a wise decision. Fighting either him or Percy would probably end up in a death-match. Jason smacked his girlfriend on the ass as she left with a grin and looked back at the rest of them. Dayum, Jason was turning into a naughty bitch!  
“Who’s next to challenge the mighty son of Jupiter?”  
Hazel took the challenge, which was a fun fight. She could hold her ground quite well, but Jason was the fucking boss. Leo came after her, but their sparring was more of Jason chasing a teasing Leo around with a sword, until the son of Hephaestus jumped on his back and sent them both rolling in the dirt. Jason only just ended up with his sword at Leo’s throat, but they both laughed it off.  
The run must have worn him out though, because Frank owned his ass in the next round. Fuck that guy was tank. If a real fight happened between Jason and Frank, though…who the fuck would top that? The son of Jupiter versus animal man.  
“Alright!” Jason called from the edge of the clearing. “Frank and Percy!”  
Ooh shit, Frank looked a little nervous. He’d better look nervous. Percy was the fucking standing hero of Camp Half-Blood. Even the girls and Leo cut off their practise sparring to watch. And fuck, was it a show. Percy was as fast as a tiger, but the praetor of Camp Jupiter matched it with strength; every blow Percy caught rang off his celestial bronze like a tolling bell. Half the time Nico wasn’t even watching Frank, but the way Percy’s body moved in a dance of war around the larger hero. Fuck, that fighting turned him on. Shit, it had done for years. That downright sexy testosterone. He’d always been afraid that the sexy motherfucker would distract him so badly in a practise that Nico'd lose an arm or something, just staring at those muscles rippling and twisting in action, usually dripping with water. Fuck. Hard-on city coming right up. Up being the operative word.  
Suddenly, Percy’s arm flashed and Frank’s shorter sword skittered out of his hand.  
“Wow, where did you learn that?!” The larger guy grinned in amazement, looking from his hand to his sword two feet away.  
“An old friend, long dead now.” Percy shrugged and picked up Frank’s sword with a smile. “One of the first things I ever learned.”  
“Alright then!” Jason cut them off with a grin. “Percy and Nico!”  
What? He was actually playing? Ohhh fuck. It looked as though the rest of the group was thinking the same thing.  
“Um, is that – “  
“Fine by me.” Nico cut Hazel off and strode over to face Percy. Shit. That man was sex on legs. He drew his long, double-edged blade. The black metal gave him a little zing of energy. It was like carrying around his own piece of the Underworld.  
The son of Poseidon flicked his eyebrows suggestively and Nico locked eyes with him. A thrill of heat shimmered treacherously into his groin, but this time desire made his ass clench too; fuck that demi-god looked dominant in fighting stance, eyes set and sword pointing straight at Nico. Holy lord of Olympus, Percy could bend him over a fucking sand-dune or whatever and pound his ass any day. Nico took a brief moment to wonder if Percy had anything else pointing at him before the older demi-god attacked. In one smooth movement, Nico caught the blow and ducked under Percy’s arm. If the son of Poseidon had been a millisecond slower, the fight would have been over with Nico’s blade on the back of his neck. But the older demigod whirled around and rapped his sword with a blow so hard he reeled back, almost losing his footwork. Ooh good fuck that was hot, feeling the power behind those muscles. Percy immediately took advantage of his pause and came in with a side-strike, but shit, after taking lessons with the ghost of Achilles, he’d learned to be fucking quick. He blocked and twisted his blade, trying to wrench Riptide out of Percy’s grasp. Instead, there was a grating screech and he found himself staring at those sexy eyes through a cross of metal. The other man was panting, but instead of anger or determination in his gaze, there was raging hot, needy desire. Fuck, he wanted to kiss that bastard. How was eye contact so fucking erotic? Yet…as much as Nico found Percy irresistible, it seemed to work the other way too. Maybe it was time to play a little dirty. With what he hoped was a seductive smirk, he switched the pressure on his blade and used Percy’s force to propel him downward and slide between the demi-god’s legs, elbowing him in the back of the knees as he went. He turned on his knees immediately and straddled that slim waist at the same moment Percy flipped over. It was pretty obvious the man could feel his full blown erection, but props to Percy for resisting distraction, because the son of Poseidon still caught his blade before Nico could put it against his throat. Oh good gods, couldn’t they just chuck away their swords and play some tongue-hockey in the dirt? Fuck! His Eros-stung arm was practically having an orgasm right now, which _really_ wasn't helping his concentration.  
“Guys -” Frank’s anxious interruption threw him for a second and suddenly Percy lunged, throwing him off sideways. Before the older demi-god could pin him, Nico rolled to his feet, but a powerful arm caught him round the waist. How had Percy been so quick to get up? Ha, from his experience, Percy had always been pretty quick to rise. Well fuck it. He spun his blade around so the point faced behind him as the sharp edge of Riptide gently scraped his throat. His body was pinned so hard against Percy’s that he could feel every inch of the demigod’s boner, hard against his ass. Holy fucking shit, he almost moaned in pleasure. He wanted to grind on it, make Percy squeal with shock and craving…but not with people watching. No way in all shit was he even going to look happy about having Percy’s cock against his ass. Especially not look like he wanted Percy’s dick _in_ his ass.  
“Surrender?” Percy panted in his ear. Fuck, Nico could _feel_ him panting; that strong, muscular frame cupping his own. The warmth and firmness of Percy’s body moving against his back threw Nico’s head into sexual overdrive. Shit, he was so hard, he’d be surprised if nobody noticed. Instead of replying or grinding or shadow-travelling them to a hot steamy shower somewhere, Nico pressed the point of his inverted sword a little more authoritatively against Percy’s stomach.  
“You surrender.”  
“I think we can call that a draw.” Jason clapped his hands with a grin. Percy quickly released him, but as he removed Riptide, a horrible wave of sick, dank red washed over Nico’s vision. For a second he couldn’t even breathe properly…and then it was gone. So sudden. What the fuck? He could feel his heart churning into his chest like a rhythmic whirlpool.  
“Nico, you _have_ to teach me those moves!” Hazel pounced on him and he snapped back. Normal heart, normal vision.  
“Tomorrow.” He smiled at her, body still resounding with shock from the vision blurred with heat and lust. An almost nauseating concoction. “That fu – I mean, that wore me out.”  
Despite her probably knowing as many curses as he did, Nico still didn’t want to start mouthing off in front of her. Big brother role model complex, perhaps. He didn’t fucking know. He didn’t even fucking know whether he registered as her big brother. Fuck everything.  
“It was amazing!” She looked up at him with shining brown eyes. “Where did you learn it?”  
“Heroes of the past.” He smiled and picked out Percy beside the campfire Leo had just started. “Come on, let’s get some food.”  
Maybe they had pomegranates? He fucking loved that shit. And it helped him sleep. Fuck, he was tired.

_Plip. Plip. Drops of icy water echoed, eerie and chilling through the vast openness of the cavern. Hewn blue-grey rock arced in a natural dome high above his head, steeping down to a rough, shadowy floor. In the centre of the cave, a massive vent, a ragged wound in the ancient rock gaped, exposing soft, churning earth. He was kneeling on a thick spire, stretched like a long, grasping finger over the pit. A pink flower petal fluttered from his shoulder. Its gentle alighting on the ground resounded with tiny, insignificant echoes. The muted sound magnified a hundred times in every crevice of rock to return as a soft, high ringing. He tried to move his hands. Bound. Ankles too. Something heavy and fleshy with a sour scent moved behind him. Hands, much larger than anything human slid into his line of vision, grasping two burnished silver knives, one either side of his head. Malicious. Viciously sharp._  
_“Percy Jackson. You give your life as a willing sacrifice to the Mother Gaia?” That deep voice grumbled through the dank air, until a hundred rumbles asked the same question._  
_“I do.” He took a breath, nerves clotting in his throat like rancid butter. The thud of his heart seemed to resound out of his chest and out into the blackness of the cavern, devoured by its uncanny murk. Another petal wove through the air before him, down, down, down to the gurgling mud below._  
_“Awaken, Mother!” He knew that voice. He knew that voice from a time long gone. The wicked knives pressed against his jugular. Every piece of skin in his throat tingled, on hyper-alert toward the cold metal. He could feel the tug that came with a terribly cruel sharpness and the tender nerves on his neck began to throb, just as the skin begins to crawl when the paranoia of spiders or insects takes hold. Just let it be over with. Let it be done. He swallowed against the metal, cartilage of his Adam’s apple forcing his skin harder against the pitiless, seductive edge. A tiny sting of heat pre-empted the trickle of a single rivulet of blood trailing a lonely, warm path down his chest. Please. Get it over with. The muscles in his stomach quivered and contracted, wanting to make him retch with nerves preluding inevitability. He could feel miniscule tremors racing through his arms and thighs to the beat of his racing heart._  
_“Take this blood as sacrifice!” Another being roared in agreement, and another. The whole chamber echoed with gruesome cries. What a sound to die to._  
Suddenly, over in the corner he saw –  
_The meaty ripping sound crunched through his skull. White hot agony lanced from his throat as blood spurted out, filmy and crimson before his eyes. A chunk of flesh, caught between the two knives dangled by a skein of ragged meat from his jugular. He couldn’t scream. Tried to gasp, breathe. Only a wretched, viscous, gurgle left his mouth as blood sprayed onto his tongue. Sharp iron. The sickening broken wheeze of a shredded trachea. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Black, white, red, colours. He couldn’t see, suffocating on clotted scarlet strings. Shattered cartilage grated in screaming torment against lumps of flesh it was never meant to touch. Blood so dense it was black spewed out his mouth and the yawning hole in his throat, down his chest and into the pit as darkness clawed the edges of his eyes. The agony wrenched in every screaming nerve as the knives slit again, further into the meat of his neck…I….I…I love you._

 

“AHHHHH!” Nico jolted awake, screaming and shaking. Shock. Pain. He couldn’t breathe properly, grasped at his throat. Hands came away black, covered in blood, covered in…shadow. Only a shadow. He hadn’t realized he’d been crying. The cold night air burned the damp on his cheeks, and he hurriedly swiped it off with a sleeve. One ragged breath after another…  
“Nico!” Hazel grasped his shoulders, brown eyes wide with fear and horror. Beside her Jason and Percy knelt, panting from their sprint over. Jason looked worried. Percy’s handsome features were downright distraught.  
“What happened?” The son of Poseidon’s voice soothed him, but his muscles were still trembling from the illusion of pain. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. That had been too fucking real.  
“Nightmare.” Nico couldn’t help his voice shivering, so he cleared his throbbing throat and tried again. “I had a nightmare. Nothing to worry about.”  
Worried looks. Fuck them. What the fuck had that fucking shit been? He felt cold to his very core. Had that thing said Percy? No. No, no, no, no, fuck no. Anyone but Percy. Please, let that dream be just a dream. But in Nico’s heart of hearts, doubt gnawed. Fuck. He wanted to cry. Fuck no. Not Percy. He’d do anything. He’d give his own life instead. Anything.  
“I’ll be ok.” He pushed Hazel away and turned back onto his side.  
“You guys go.” Percy murmured. Nico felt another fucking stupid tear slide over his cheek. How dare his body react to shock like this? “I’ll look after him.”  
A warm hand settled against his cheek and gentle fingers toyed with his hair.  
“Thank you.” Nico reached up and took the other calloused hand in his. Grief and anger surged up, freeing his mind from the numb of adrenaline. No. He’d make sure Percy lived if it was the last thing he ever did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Nico's dream come true? Speculate! c:


	9. Hades Pimpslaps A Demigod

9.

When the son of Hades wakes up screaming from a nightmare, Percy reckoned the rest of the demigods should be cowering under a blanket, crying. Especially when he wouldn’t say a word about it. Even Hazel, apparently, couldn’t get it out of him. What could it have been? Maybe Octavian had made an appearance in Nico’s dreams with little clothing or perhaps a stray gust of breeze up his toga. Holy dancing satyrs, that’d make Percy wake up screaming his face off.  
Octavian or not though, the disturbance was taking its toll. Everybody seemed a little more subdued and tense; Piper, Leo, Frank – even Hazel – seemed to be treading the ground around Nico like he was a werewolf about to explode into a snarling, uncontrollable mass of bestial emotion or something. Personally, Percy hoped so, but only when they were alone and that dashing son of Hades was admiring his full moon. Though even now, he did feel a little uncertain of how Nico really felt. It seemed like, no matter how many secrets or mysterious habits he uncovered, that black-haired ab-tastic boy always had more up his sleeve. On a side note, at the moment Nico was being such a _man_! By the luxurious beard of Zeus, Percy couldn’t stop creepily eye-stalking him. Like, seriously. After a dream that had got him shivering and crying, that pretty demigod's emotional reaction today was virtually flipping Phobetor (god of nightmares) the finger. Admirable beyond belief. And the way he _walked_! Percy had never realized…where had that guy learned to look like a goddamn panther when he strode along? Like a sensual cat! With an ass to put Aphrodite to shame, and by all the gods, he’d seen Aphrodite’s ass and that thing was the ass of all asses. He just couldn’t take his eyes off him!  
By the time they’d reached the outskirts of Assens – uh, Athens – he felt like the entire troupe should have noticed either the hungry, concrete boner in his pants or his eyeballs glued to the King of Ghosts. Their mock-fight yesterday just kept re-running in his head. That had been a wet dream right there…if only it had ended up with him ripping Nico’s clothing off and riding him like the stallion he was. Where had Nico learned those moves? Sure, the dark, handsome bastard had a few techniques to get between his legs. But that had left his head spinning. Then Nico on top of him? For the love of Poseidon, that had almost broken him. As in broken him out of his veneer of control into the lusty criminal Nico seemed to be turning him into. As in he’d wanted Nico screwing his ass there and then, with everyone watching, for the kicks. Yeah, he had no clue what ass-fucking felt like. But he sure as all Hades wanted to find out.

“Right, so now we’re pretty much at Athens, what do we do?” Piper gazed over low-level outskirts of the city. Annabeth sighed, frustration scrawled all over her knitted brow.  
“I guess we go into the city. It may be a trap, it could be anything. I was expecting…”  
The silence let Percy finish her words in his head: an attack, a threat, something….not this uneasy quiet. This brewing storm cloud of tension.  
“What?” Suddenly Frank burst out. “We’re here now and look at us! It’s like we’re pathetic children sent on some treasure hunt and we can’t find the next clue!”  
“Hey!” Even if Annabeth was ignoring him, Percy wouldn’t stand for an attack on a girl he owed so much to and admired. “You’re just tetchy because Greece doesn’t want you here, Roman!”  
He had no idea where the words were coming from, but he felt angry.  
“Be quiet, Percy, I don’t need the defence of a bastard like you.” Annabeth snapped and he recoiled, stung. For a moment, he felt like slapping that ungrateful, cold bitch right across the face.  
“Guys, you two may have had an argument, but seriously, if we divide, we fall.” Jason stepped in between them, hands open in a display of peace.  
“Those two?!” Frank barked and pulled Jason back by the shoulder. A strange red flash, like a spark of Ares, lanced over his eyes. “You hear what he said? We shouldn’t be here because we’re _Romans_.”  
“Well, perhaps this quest deserves real heroes instead of politicians who hang around in skirts.” Leo sniggered. Something clicked in Percy’s head. Something really wrong was going down if Leo wasn’t trying to resolve an argument.  
“Oh, go build something you useless fighter!” Hazel turned on him, and the ground quivered with whatever buried treasure was feverishly working its way to the surface. “You even wouldn’t be here without Frank.”  
“SHUT UP!” Suddenly the strange fizz of Piper’s charm-speak trickled through his brain. Everybody turned and looked at her, blinking slowly, as if waking from a deep sleep. Nico stood beside her, watching, but his expression was strangely blank. “Pull yourselves together and look!”  
She pointed up at a dark shape against the clouds.  
In the amount of seconds it took for everyone to recover themselves, it was clear that a harpy was winging its way down to them.  
“Frank, get your bow – “  
“No.” Annabeth cut Jason off. “It’s carrying an olive sprig – a symbol of peace.”  
“So, young half-bloods.” The thing was certainly not Ellie. It was ragged, old and the feathers in its wings stuck up at odd angles, like they’d been brushed the wrong way. Cruel, jagged teeth grinned down at them. “Fighting already?”  
“What do you want?” Percy scowled. He hadn’t seen one of these wretched creatures in a while and had been hoping Tartarus had looked over re-spawning their sorry asses.  
“Oh me?” It drawled, voice rasping like stone against a metal blade. “Nothing. But the giants…they want to give you a message. They say that your pathetic plan to ‘kill’ Gaia is impossible. No-one can defeat the earth they stand on. Secondly, they say that if any of you realize how stupid you look fighting for the wrong side, then they are welcoming allies with open arms under Filopappou Hill near the Parthenon.”  
“We would _never_ – “  
“Lastly…” The droopy hag cut into Leo’s protest with a horrendous leer. “I’m sorry to tell you that one of your company has already betrayed you.”  
What? Percy felt cold freeze over his stomach. He instinctively glanced around at the others, who were doing the same. All of their company were loyal! How…?  
“Shocking isn’t it? But they just haven’t poisoned you or cut your throats in your sleep because we need two half-bloods to wake up Gaia, and with so many of you with so much blood…” Those rheumy eyes flitted greedily around their group. “We have quite a crop of Olympians to harvest.”  
“You’re lying!” Piper snarled. “Nobody would _ever_ betray each other here.”  
“Oh really, little girl?” The harpy cocked her head curiously. “I remember another leader of the Aphrodite Cabin, so beautiful, so treacherous. Strange that you would be the first to call liar.”  
“Fly away, harpy, before I make a crater where you’re sitting.” Jason’s eyes flashed, and the creature shrugged, turned, opened its wings – but before it could take off, an arrow flew soundly into its skull, cracking the bone inwards. With a gurgling screech, it burst into gold dust, only leaving the olive leaf branch behind.  
“One enemy less.” Frank glared at the spot it had been, muscles tense.  
The olive branch glowed, and a sliver of light danced across it. What? Percy glanced up at his friends. Had they seen it? They were talking, arguing…it flickered suggestively again, glimmering in the dappled light. Come over, it seemed to say. Pick me up. Well, it was only an olive branch. Perhaps it was a xenia gift? Slowly, cautiously, he walked over to it –  
“Percy, NO!” Nico suddenly slammed into his side, but it was too late. A massive bubble of golden power expanded around them, swelling from the ground like a quick-time blister. His vision went blurry, as the world outside the golden cage swam. Greek letters glowed on the floor beneath them in a spiral, nauseating to look at, burning on his retinas. The air was thick and Percy could hardly breathe. What was this? Sleepy…so sleepy…An irresistible tug sluggishly, gently pulled him down – or would have if Nico wasn’t clinging to his shoulders.  
“Hold on!” The son of Hades’ eyes were tight shut and his teeth were bared, gritted in concentration. “Come on you bastard!”  
A whirlwind of gold and air began to rush around them, squeezing tighter and tighter as the bubble shrank in size. The pressure was unbearable, painful –  
“Arrrghhh!” Nico yelled, fingers digging mercilessly into Percy’s shoulders - and then they were racing through blackness, the dark walls of shadow on either side. Different wind – cold and refreshing slapped against his skin as they spun through the tunnel of murk. The cold of a stone floor punched Percy in the gut and sent him gasping into the foetal position. Something felt wrong, as though a taboo had been broken, some Ancient seal or tradition shattered.  
After a second of trying to actually get something into his lungs, Percy raised his head, eyes watering from shock – oh great. He recognized this Underworld throne room. Thankfully bereft of a god he’d rather not encounter.  
“Nico?” A hundred Percys called back to him, echoing off the walls. Beside him, the slim demi-god lay, unmoving.  
“Nico?” Oh gods, he was…was he breathing?...Nico was motionless, eyes half-open. “Nico! Wake up!”  
He couldn’t believe himself, but there was only one god down here who really cared for his lover. And that god was probably going to impale his ass on a diamond the size of the Empire State building. “Hades! HADES! HELP ME!”  
There was a whoosh of freezing air, and the Lord of the Underworld snapped into existence shirtless. Wait, what? Percy did an unintentional double-take. Holy hellhounds, he’d never imagined the King of the Dead with that much definition. Nico had apparently inherited it. He didn’t have much time to process the thought though, as a colossal hand smacked him against the curved wall of the cave.  
“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SON _GANYMENE VASTARTHI_?!” Hades roared, face inches from Percy’s own. Well, either in Greek or English, now he knew where Nico’s language came from.  
“Sh-shadow travelled…” He choked as the pressure on his body increased, and the masses of power radiating from the god almost sent him into unconsciousness. “Out of… ach – a – trap.”  
“Hades, leave him be and look after your son!” Whoa. Hold on. Hermes, belting up loose tunic, was stooped over the younger demi-god’s prone form, concern marring his gorgeous, tanned features. It was pretty obvious he wasn’t wearing anything under that tunic. Holy mother of Achilles, that god had good legs.  
“Count yourself lucky, Percy.” The dark god growled, let him go and shrank to human-size.  
“W-what are you doing here, Hermes?” It was pretty obvious _who_ was being done here, but Hermes in the Underworld?  
“It’s summer.” Hermes winked and sent a cheeky glance at Hades, who was ignoring both of them, bending over his son. “He gets bored, so sometimes when I’m guiding souls down to Charon, I stop off for – ah – a little rest.”  
“Oh, I see.” Percy raised his eyebrows. Well, he had nothing to complain about, except that he’d rather not know the love-life of his Nico’s father.  
The blonde god grinned wickedly. “He commands bones very well…especially mine.”  
“Hold on, there was a shrine to you in Tartarus.” He hadn’t realized Hermes paid ‘visits’ to the Underworld. Perhaps that was where the altar had come from?  
“Oh yeah – “  
“Hermes, moley.” The King of the Underworld held out a pale hand and the younger god summoned a shining plant that vaguely resembled a mung bean.  
“Well, at first it was a shrine up here, you know, in honour of me…” Those huge blue eyes flicked back appreciatively to Hades’ tank shoulders. He was almost a head shorter than his uncle. “Then we were, y’know, playing around on it and we ended up breaking a lot of things – cause us gods are a lot stronger than you cuties – and by the end of it there was this hole in the floor where my altar had been. I have a new one though, if anyone needs to…contact me.”  
He shot another saucy glance at the older god. “He contacts me a lot this time of year.”  
“I thought you were, like, the busiest god?” Wow, Percy was blushing. They’d screwed so hard they’d smashed an altar down to _Tartarus_? It was almost funny.  
“Percy Jackson, get over here.” Hades scowled at him, dark rage emanating off his like a doomsday cloud.  
“I’m never too busy for my Uncle!” Hermes skipped over and kissed the other god on the cheek. The Lord of the Underworld quickly stroked his jaw, then turned back, glowering, to Percy. At least someone was keeping the sour god palatable.  
“What did you do to him, hmm?”  
“Nothing! We got caught in a trap with a golden bubble and Ancient Greek writing around it!” Suddenly Hades’ eyes widened and he looked back at Nico.  
“A titan trap?” That dangerous voice was soft and almost disbelieving. “My son pulled you out of a _titan trap_?”  
Even Hermes looked dumbfounded. “That’s impossible. Unless he knew the code or…”  
“Code? What?” Ok, Percy had dealt with a lot today. Being pestered by a harpy, shadow-travelling, seeing Hades half-naked and learning that an altar could actually be fucked into Tartarus. But what in all Olympus were these two going on about?  
“A titan trap is what we used on Kronos in the beginning, and on his followers.” Hades stroked Nico’s forehead, and to Percy’s relief, that slender chest began to rise and fall naturally. “We don’t use them anymore because we exist in much less substantial forms than we used to…but only one who knew the code – someone in league with whoever created it – would be able to escape. Or they’d have to feel an extremely pure emotion…” suddenly those crazed, mad eyes snapped up to him and narrowed. “You’re not…Not you, of all people...”  
“Uuunh…” Nico moaned and his eyelids fluttered. “Percy?”  
“I think sooo!” Hermes sang and kissed Hades on the cheek again. “Come on, let’s get back to, um, work, and these guys can surely look after each other.”  
Hades’ jaw twitched and he looked back at his bleary son. “I’ll talk with you later.”  
Then Nico vanished in a glow of purple power.  
“Hey!” What the heck father dissipates their half-dead son into nothingness? “Where’d you send him?!”  
“Aw, go on, Hades, let him go too…” Hermes stood on his tip-toes and wrapped his golden-brown arms around the much paler god’s chest. “We can’t have all the fun…”  
“Are you serious?” Hades growled. “This is Percy Jackson, that ignorant twat who continuously annoys me!”  
“I am still here you know.” And by all the gods, he’d find Nico if it killed him.  
“But he makes your son so happy…” The Olympian nibbled the older god’s ear and snuggled into his shoulder. “Go on…if you do I’ll ask Aphrodite for some toys and maybe even persuade George and Martha to have some fun with us…”  
Good gods, that was one piece of information too many. Percy tried to keep his expression clear. If Zeus had impregnated women as piles of gold, a swan and even a snake, then he guessed the other gods had their fetishes. Ew, with Poseidon’s kids, he’d rather not think about that.  
Hades sighed, seemingly completely oblivious to Percy trying not to watch, as he slid his hand up the other god’s hard, muscular thigh. “You always know how to get the better of me.”  
Then a fuzz of purple clouded around Percy’s body and the next thing he knew, he was in a spacious room. It was hewn from black rock, but sparkled with gems inset into the wall that formed rippling patterns – if he hadn’t known better he’d have thought kaleidoscopic water was filtering down the stone. On one side, blue velvet curtains shut out a wall-height window. In the centre was a massive – maybe double king? – black bed on which a familiar form was lying. The realization struck him like a bolt of lusty lightning. He was in Nico di Angelo’s Underworld bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaha how's it goin? Any thoughts on who the traitor is, if there is one? ;) Thank you so much for reading this far, I seriously didn't expect as many people to like it as have done, and I think the next chapter will be one to enjoy ;) Oh, and apologies if my Greek is off - it's hard transliterating :c Thanks again c:


	10. Percy Explores Nico's Massive....Bedroom

10.

“You ok?” Percy tried to ignore his sexual arousal. That boy was knackered. Yet…he and Nico were alone indefinitely. With a massive bed. And his dick didn’t want to listen. He had a bulge in the front of his jeans as hard as the crystals that decorated the walls, and it wasn’t going to let up any time soon.  
“Been better.” The son of Hades mumbled into his pillow, lying face-downwards. Or ass upwards. Mmm…Percy strode over and sat carefully on the bedspread, hot desire pumping in his groin. Oh gods, he wanted to run his hands all over that lithe, sensual body, pull it up to him and let Nico be pleasured by his touch, his need… Gently, he reached over and began to stroke that thick black hair. By the three heads of Cerberus, it was taking all he had to keep his hands from wandering.  
“Mmm…” Nico hummed appreciatively and curled into his hand. Did he push that pretty ass out on purpose? Screw it (literally and figuratively). Asses like that were meant to be appreciated. Percy kicked off his shoes and slid himself further onto the bed….was the duvet made of mink? It felt even more amazing than a sweet evening tide under his bare fingers and toes. One thing he noticed though, was a side table with a couple of amphorae and bowls on it.  
“Nico, what are those jars for?” Oh gods, he wanted to take that jacket off, that shirt off, those jeans…Hungry like the wolf was an understatement right now.  
“Hmm? Oh those?” The yellow eyes blinked languorously in the low, shimmering light. “I think it’s purified olive oil for the skin, y’know, like the Ancient Greeks used to massage into themselves and guests. Dad’s a traditionalist and keeps it in all the living quarters, if that's the right word down here.”  
“Well if it’s here, we may as well use it, hmm?” The idea of rubbing down that pretty, muscular body with oil made Percy’s head spin with excitement and adrenaline. His cock agreed wholeheartedly with the idea, throbbing, so hard and thick that he felt his underwear slide off the head. He couldn’t help his breath quickening. He wanted it bad. He wanted Nico. Please, his body and mind begged, hungry in unison.  
“If you’re offering…” Those slender shoulders lazily shrugged off the first layer. That shirt was a sin. It needed to be gone.  
“Here, let me.” Percy murmured, pausing to tease the nerves in that sexy man’s ear before pressing his lips more forcefully onto the nape of his neck. He slid one leg over Nico’s ass for better access to his back. It was so tempting to just to grasp the slim hips beneath him and grind, relieve his ravenous desire. No, Percy. This guy is probably dead-tired. He almost just killed himself yanking your stupid ass out of a trap. Give him a break!  
With slow, light touches, he gently tugged the fabric of the shirt off that striking pale skin. Ok, he couldn’t help admiring the muscles as he went with a flick of his tongue or –  
“Mmm, Percy!” Shivers danced down Nico’s back, and the body beneath him lifted off the bed slightly.  
“Shhh, shh.” He reached over and poured some oil into the bowl, pinning Nico with one hand. The other demi-god just panted, sometimes the ghost of high moans coming with the breath. Percy pulled his own shirt off, heat already radiating from his excited skin. Beds mean moaning, sweat, screaming, sex. Want. He craved it so bad…but patience was a virtue. He’d foreplay the tiredness out of this sexy son of a god.  
“Relax.” Percy covered his hands in the golden liquid and pushed his fingers into the muscles of Nico’s shoulders, revelling in the way the definition shone, picked out by the lustrous oil. He was about to say that of all the shiny jewels down here, Nico was the most beautiful, but he'd probably get his ass kicked for being a poetic sap.  
Nico groaned rhythmically beneath him, and pushed his ass up against the tightness in Percy's jeans.  
Percy couldn’t help moaning. That pressure against his pulsing cock was what he needed, what he craved…He thumb-massaged down Nico’s lower back, then slid oil up his sides. Suddenly, the son of Hades pushed himself up from the bed so Percy could reach under him.  
“Percy-“ He gasped. “Take off my jeans. Now!”  
No complaints here. With probably more fever than he hoped, Percy unbuttoned and unzipped the clothing, panting with anticipation. He could feel Nico’s cock ready and eager, straining on the material of his pants. He’d deal with satisfying that later.  
“Fuck, just take it all off, you sexy bitch!” The slim body jerked, Nico’s voice high and desperate. Percy would have chuckled at his new nickname if the tone his lover had used hadn't just made his breath hitch.  
“Be a pleasure.” Percy grunted, the stimulation in his cock fizzing around the rest of his body in delicate tingles. Get that clothing off him, get it off him. Now.  
As soon as the last shred was gone, Percy stifled a groan. Nico’s body was so beautiful, Percy couldn’t take his eyes off it. The oiled muscles on his back seemed to glimmer in the crystal light, pale skin stark against the dark mink cover.  
“Percy - ah!” Nico bucked as Percy massaged down those bare thighs and then got to work on that gorgeous ass. Gods, he needed to be quick about this…his cock was impatient, wanting to come, yearning for orgasm. The younger demi-god was panting now. Nico turned his head, trying to look at Percy with wild eyes. How did man-on-man sex really work? That was the only problem Percy had, and in his pleasure-addled brain, he couldn’t think of what to do. Yeah, sure he wanted in Nico’s ass. But wouldn’t that hurt if he just slammed his dick in there?  
“Nico,” He called, but it came out as more of a moan. Gathered another layer of oil on his hand and stroked down the other man’s crevice. Nico immediately pulled himself onto all fours, gasping and shaking as Percy’s fingers found his hole.  
“Nico!” He flipped the slender demi-god over to face him. It was unfair to tease if he couldn’t deliver. Ugh, he should have looked up how to do this or something! On the side though, holy Zeus, that man was hard! Nico’s cock was taught up against his flat belly, dark with desire to be fucked. “Nico, I don’t know how to do this.”  
He panted. Was he inadequate?  
“Good.” What? Before Percy knew what was happening, the son of Hades lunged up, caught his shoulder and slammed him onto the bed. “Because I’ve always wanted to fuck you.”  
Hot, hungry lips pressed against his, devouring his tongue, strong and needy. Those fingers he loved wrapped tight in his hair and pulled him closer. For the love of Olympus, why did he love being controlled so much?! The sweet spot in his head writhed in delight; he was gasping, crushing Nico’s body against his own before his head had caught up with his muscles. That bare, hot torso tight against his was heaven.  
“Fuck Jackson, how dare you keep your jeans on?” Nico pulled back. Percy cried out as a spike of pain blended with intense pleasure shot from his nipple to his groin. Had Nico just _punished_ him? And…had he just liked it?  
“Nico, ah, more, more!” Percy couldn’t help panting. Breath just wasn’t coming naturally, only heat and the powerful desire for pleasure ruled his body. Lithe fingers undid his belt as Nico bent his head. His lips caught on Percy's erect nipple, sucking with a graze of teeth, causing the other demi-god to let out another ragged cry. Percy couldn’t control his thrusting hips, his jerking body; he wanted Nico inside him, wanted his curiosity satisfied, wanted pleasure, sex and dirty gratification.  
“Shhh.” A cool hand planted itself on his chest and a crooning moan left his lips. Those sensual feline eyes hypnotized Percy back into control. Fabric slid off his hips and legs, and suddenly he could feel the heat of both their bodies so tantalizingly close.  
“Nico,” He grunted, voice husky. “I want you to fuck me. Now. I’ll beg you on my knees.”  
“What a tempting offer.” That unfair bastard kept his body well off Percy’s, but not his gaze, no. Those scorching eyes raked his naked figure, lingering appreciatively on his swollen cock, already wet with pre-come.  
“Mmm…” Strong hands ran rhythmically up his thighs, mounting irresistible pools of heat in his groin with each stroke. All the time those yellow eyes joined with his own, urging his pleasure on. Percy tossed back his head and gripped the sheets to stop him relieving the unrelenting tightness in his erection with his own hands. He felt so sensitive all over, his dick the most, raging with desire to be touched, to end this merciless teasing. His ass convulsed as Nico opened his legs and -  
“Stay right there.” What? No, Nico couldn’t leave him like this! A moan of frustration welled in his throat and he almost reached up and yanked the younger man back.  
“Nico…” Percy groaned. The temptation to help himself out with the desire throbbing in his cock becoming even stronger as he watched that perfect naked ass sashay over to the curtains. “What…?”  
The son of Hades turned around, a dark smile playing on his cupid-bow lips, something dark in his hands. “I want you, Percy. You’re going to be all mine tonight.”  
The words sent quivers down his stomach. Yes, anything. Gods, he just wanted – was that a velvet curtain tie Nico had? What?  
“Nico…?” Suddenly the other demi-god snatched up his wrist and pushed his hand through a loop he’d already made. Oh. Fuck yes. Nico wanted him tied up? He couldn’t wait. Holy Tartarus this guy was wicked! The son of Hades caught sight of his expression and smiled like the devil. This was some side of Nico he was seeing! A good side. A very good side.  
“Thought you might like that.” The son of Hades straddled Percy’s body. Those hot thighs either side of Percy's waist made him pant like a dog craving bitches, and the sight of that naked body stretched above him got his cock back to full, pounding and hard. Nico threaded the velvet through his metal bedhead. As Percy’s other hand was restrained, he felt so vulnerable, so open and submissive, but shit…It was so exciting. Another spasm ran through his ass, throbbing up his shaft. Percy yanked on the ties, just to see how much movement… hardly any, oh gods, he was totally at Nico’s mercy.  
“Nico, Nico, Nico, fuck me. Please!” He groaned, urgent breath catching in his throat. Forceful fingers suddenly wrenched his head back by his hair, and lips and teeth were rough on his; a wild bestial kiss. Oh, he wanted to grab that bare ass, that body above his own skin…Percy struggled against the bonds, wanting to feel the inability of, for once, not being able to do what he wanted. It was just him and Nico and the pleasure they could bring each other.  
“Be a good boy, Percy.” Nico’s catlike eyes flashed almost maliciously, dangerous. But Percy'd be an utter liar if he said he didn't find danger exciting.  
Surprisingly gentle fingers teased down his torso setting the nerve endings alight with the sensitivity they already quivered with…right down to his cock.  
“Please!” His voice came out as a throaty shout and he yanked at his make-shift handcuffs in desperation and sexual impatience. He would never have guessed, back at that military boarding school, that years later he would be begging for the nerdy kid with Mythomagic cards who had _tied him to the bed frame_ to take him up the ass. Wow, life was crazy. “Get in me now! NOW!”  
“Fuck you’re hot. Fuck, I’m gonna fuck you till you scream.” Nico panted, sweat and oil slick on his shoulders. Holy mother of Tartarus, every muscle in Percy’s body howled in desire, and frantic curiosity clawed with fiery talons in his head. He wanted it. Now. Bad. Hard. “Relax, Percy.”  
A drizzle of oil over his ass – oh fucking gods, that wicked, cruel hand slid up over his thighs, pushed his legs further apart, coating his balls and pulsing hole with slick liquid. Percy's stomach muscles quivered and his legs were spasming in anticipation. A finger caressed over his ring of flaming nerves, and it was gonna make him come if Nico didn’t stop.  
"Nico, I'm - I can't - " Percy heard his voice break into a higher octave and suddenly the hand retracted. He was dizzy with unsatisfied lust and with the concept of being unable to pull relief against him or help himself. His body was twitching and trembling, tormented by pleasure. Fuck, he just wanted Nico in him, whatever it felt like.  
“Nico!” Percy moaned again, impatient. His cock was so ready to spurt right now, bulging and dark from stimulation. If this sadistic bastard teased him any longer, he might just give out.  
“Hips up. Now.”  
Percy obeyed without a thought, thighs shaking from pleasure, craving for satisfaction. Nico was going to let him have release. He’d do anything for him. Soft pillows slid under his ass, lifting his hips for better leverage. Holy hellhounds this guy really knew what he was doing! It was so weird how open and lubed up his ass felt and that strange undiscovered pleasure tingling tantalizingly, just beyond comprehension.  
“Relaxed?” What? He tried to concentrate on letting his muscles calm.  
Nico’s finger slid inside him, so oiled up it entered without a hitch and Percy gave a strangled cry of...relief? Pleasure? Further torment? The bed protested as he wrenched on the velvet securing his hands. "More!"  
He didn't know what he'd expected. It was strange but good, just the desperation for something inside his body fulfilled.  
A string of curses poured from his mouth as another finger slid inside him – oh sweet Zeus – he couldn’t even keep his eyes open - ohhh – something, they were close to - His whole body bucked and juddered as those damn fingers found what they were looking for. But that evil son of Hades still, somehow, didn't give him release.  
“There Nico, oh gods!”  
“Here?”  
Percy looked down, gasping and jerking, at the younger demi-god as the fingertips zinged over his prostate again. He was watching Percy with low, sultry eyes, cock glistening with oil, ready for sex. Nico looked so hungry, so goddamn sexy…Why didn’t he just get in Percy's body?!  
Percy reached forward to grab Nico, to pull him into him, and snapped back as the bonds kept him on the bed.  
“Fuck me Nico, fuck me now!” If he didn't do it soon, Percy would shoot from just fingers inside of him. And that wasn't what he craved. Not by a long shot. Another finger – it should have hurt…somewhere in the far recesses of Percy’s brain that wasn’t screaming for penetration and lapping up everything, the bondage, the pleasure, the helplessness… he registered pain. But he barely even noticed it.  
“This might hurt.” The fingers left and the thick, hot head of Nico’s cock pressed against his opening. There was so much liquid there and Percy was so open, that he couldn’t have stopped it sliding into him if he’d wanted to. And by almighty Poseidon, he didn’t want to. His breath came as deep, urgent grunts, urging that solid heat further inside of him.  
“Shit!” Nico’s voice was ragged and hoarse, hands tight enough so Percy couldn't even rock his hips, holding the other man's legs splayed. His face was distorted with pleasure, eyes glazed and his long black hair was glossy with either sweat or oil…gods Percy didn’t care. What he did care about was that he'd reduced Nico to a hot, sexy mess.  
An unbidden moan left Percy’s mouth as his lover pushed further in. He just couldn’t stop it. The feeling of being entered was just so alien, impossibly strange…yet so alien it was good. It burned a little – fuck, he'd feel that in the morning – but right now the sprinkling of pain was just perfect.  
They were both moaning, groaning, crying out together in time to the torturously slow pace Nico set. Percy felt so full; he could feel the son of Hades moving through the member inside him. Suddenly, the head of Nico’s cock found the playground of his fingers, and Percy couldn't stop himself from letting out a hoarse shout of desperation for release from this merciless pleasure. His hips gave a helpless shudder around the centre of his pleasure and Nico's hands trembled as they gripped his legs.  
“Faster, shit, more!” Percy threw his head back and yelled. He felt every muscle in him shake and he slammed his hips down, wanting it hard, wanting to feel Nico’s dick push his ass open further and nail his gland with that sweet, broad head.  
Nico let out a loud, wordless groan that ricocheted down Percy's spine, and immediately picked up the pace. Their bodies slid against one another with lube, sweat - oh gods, he’d never felt anything like this closeness and intimacy. Every inch of him was exposed to Nico’s touch, Nico was inside him, buried to the hilt, thrusting in and out of Percy's sensitive tunnel. They were meshed together in one orgasmically hot, hard, noisy blend of pleasure and pain.  
Suddenly, Nico’s hand wrapped around his throat and squeezed as he thrust. What?! For a moment, Percy panicked and writhed on the other demi-god’s cock. He started going numb, could only hear his own choked gasps and Nico’s muted cries of pleasure, could feel the build-up of tension in his cock, but not fully. He tried wrenching his hands out of the bonds, but he couldn’t move –  
And then he could breathe again, and he screamed.  
Intense pleasure slammed into him, streaking up his damp stomach and throbbing in his groin and balls. Everything he’d been numbed to hit his senses all together in one concentrated rush. Gods, he was going to come, he needed that again!  
“Again, again!” How Percy managed to garble the words out, he had no idea.  
Immediately, that hand was back on his neck, but this time he enjoyed the restraint and fear more; the adrenaline from suffocation mixed with the glut of deadening responses sent him dizzy… he could still hear Nico’s cries as he writhed.  
He could breathe again and – oh fuck, that was too much, oh, his muscles were shaking uncontrollably, gods, he heard himself scream again as a wave of pleasure so powerful wracked his body that he involuntarily lifted his hips and torso off the pillows and bed. Nico shouted with him, all control lost, still rutting into his convulsing ass. Percy vaguely remembered a metallic screech as his come shot out of him so vigorously it spattered his chest and neck.

Mmm…there was a moment of black nothingness. Then that beautiful mellow pool of orgasmic lull, complemented by his and Nico’s ragged panting came to him. The son of Hades had collapsed on top of him, moaning as he gasped, body quivering and skin saturated with sweat, come and oil. Gods, the scent of sex was everywhere, and it was sooo good. That warm weight on top of him was enjoyable too, and the heat in his ass…well, that was going to hurt in the morning, but it was a fair trade he was more than willing to make.  
“Nico – “ Percy panted and tried to stroke the smaller demi-god’s damp hair before he realized he was still tied up. “That was incredible, holy shit.”  
“Fuck yeah.” The son of Hades mumbled against his skin, sleepy from exertion.  
“Who would have thought, huh?” Percy smiled, happy endorphins tingling through his system like a gentle counterpart of adrenaline. “When I first saved your ass from the manticore, I never thought you’d be fucking me years later.”  
“When you put it like that…” Nico grinned up at him, and suddenly the man looked strikingly beautiful. Those yellow and black eyes were completely bereft of the usual walls, sadness or conflict. Open happiness shone in there instead. It was the best thing in the world.  
“I definitely never imagined you tying me up.” Now that the sex was over, Percy’s hands were beginning to go numb. He must have pulled the loops tighter.  
“I did.” A mischievous sparkle glinted in the demigod’s eyes and he luxuriously pushed himself up to undo the knots. “Holy shit, Percy.”  
“What?” As soon as his hands were free, he looked up at the headboard. Good gods! The previously pristine frame was twisted and warped into the centre where he’d been tied.  
“Remind me not to get on your bad side.” Nico grinned and slid back down beside him. “You a strong motherfucker.”  
“That’s me. Now come here.” Finally able to use his hands, he gently pulled the black-haired beauty over for a kiss. Not a wild, savage thing, no. Not enough energy for that. His lust had been well satisfied. But a soft kiss, a sensual, warm brush of the lips. They could sleep here tonight in each other’s arms. The rest of the world could actually go and fuck itself just for one night.


	11. Nico Gets In Too Deep

11.

Mmm, fuuuck. There were a few reasons Nico thought fuck was an appropriate word. Fucking Percy for one. That had been a shit-ton of fucking good fuck. Mmmm. That image of Percy, eyes rolling, tanned muscles pitching with pleasure and fear the first time he’d asphyxiated him was the most fucking gorgeous thing he’d ever seen – in fact even now as Percy slept beside him, fuck it got him hot. Yeah, there had been some nights during his shitty lonely crush on Percy when he’d royally fucked trying to deny his orientation – or even tried to go on the excuse that looking up vivid porn would dissuade himself from preferring men – and pulled up some RedTube and adult books on a fucking laptop he’d bought himself 'cause his dad was the fucking bling-king. Not sure why the Underworld had wifi, but Nico had a sneaking suspicion Charon had something to do with it. Or Hermes’ presence. Either way it had taught him a few tricks, and now he was so fucking thankful. Even looking back on how guilty and downright dirty it had made him feel, that no matter what screwed up, sometimes violent bondage shit he watched, men fucking men still gave him an erection. He snuggled in closer to Percy’s naked skin, revelling in how smooth, warm and natural it felt. The only problem was that he’d never been so happy and satisfied. And in his case that meant things were going to fuck themselves up the ass with kitchen knives. Which brought him to the second reason ‘fuck’ was a good term for him right now; that harpy and his fucking dream. Percy couldn’t be the traitor, could he? Impossible. Nico had kept his eyeballs glued to that motherfucker’s ass for as long as he’d been back…from Tartarus. Where all the Titans and giants spawned. Shit. But in this case, he was happy to go by the old Roman law of innocent until proven guilty. Should he really be blinded by happiness though, if he’d _fucking felt_ Percy die for Gaia? Helllhounds. He needed to get up and stroll. That shit always helped him relax. With a gentle movement, Nico lifted Percy’s arms from around his bare shoulders and waist…aww, that man had been cuddling him in his sleep. The warm glow of happiness fought with poisonous doubt. That fucking handsome face looked so peaceful, so harmless in the rippling glow of his crystal room.  
“Gods…” Nico sighed quietly and dragged his face through his hands. Why did everything have to be so hard? – (in the metaphorical sense of course. He didn’t mind the physical sense one bit.) Hmm. He slipped out of his massive bed – the thing was either Hades’ way of telling him he loved his son, or hinting that he should bring home more lovers, Nico was never sure – and slid into his jeans. Couldn’t be fucked with underwear.  
Outside his room was a black stone corridor with shimmering topaz set into it, so the whole place was bathed in the mimicry of sunlight. His skeletal guards, both in bloodied suits of armour, saluted him as he left. Why he had guards in the Underworld? Fuck knew. They’d just followed him to his room one day, and for some reason they gave him a weird kind of feeling like he was being stalked by fangirls who were too shy to ask for his autograph. Oh well. They were cute in their weird, clattering kind of way.  
“You – mmm – should visit – mmmnn – more often, golden boy!”  
What the fuck? It sounded like Hades, but then it really fucking didn’t. The Lord of the Underworld _giggling_ was nothing that he’d ever imagined, even with his semi-close relationship with his father. Did he even want to know? It was coming from…there was a window-sized hole in the rock that opened up into Hades’ throne room. For a second he didn’t even recognize his father, sitting down there on his throne, in the smallest towel in the universe with an equally equipped Hermes on his lap, nuzzling his neck. The King of the Dead looked about nineteen or twenty. Fuck, it was like looking into a slightly warped mirror. Well, the gods did look how they felt, right? And he’d fucking seen enough. One thing a kid does not want to do is watch their father fuck their cousin.  
“Y’know, I love Persephone and all but – rrrrr!” Hades growled into Hermes’ neck playfully. “But she’s so aloof sometimes. Her and Demeter – in fact all the Olympians, apart from you, sugar – treat me and my Underworld boys like we have poisonous black blood or something!”  
“I don’t know about black blood, but if they mean dirty, they’re spot on!” The Olympian twisted on Hades’ lap so he was straddling the larger god, but Nico wasn’t even mentally present anymore. Fuck. Fuck. Something clicked. The thought struck him with both fear and realization in perfect equality. They could never defeat Gaia. That sense of dread had been with him from the get-go. She was the motherfucking _Earth_. What shit could take that out without leaving them planet-less? There was only one side that was ever going to win here, because in the long run? Demi-gods would come and go, live and die, he’d seen enough of their ghosts to know. But Gaia? That bitch was staying for eternity. Even if they stopped her this time, that fucking cockroach would keep rearing its bloated head. Nico couldn’t believe he was thinking this, but fuck. He’d had his run. He’d got the fucking prize of the son of Poseidon in his bed. It was better to go his own way, trust nobody, even Percy, and make his own deals than stick with an army that was inevitably going to kick the can, self-destruct and eventually become extinct, all while Gaia bided her time. The giants wouldn’t accept him as Nico di Angelo, though. They hated Kthonic gods and their children for a reason…a reason Nico hoped to find out. Percy would be his disguise. Giants were not the most intelligent fuckers on the planet. They’d buy his loyalty. Shit….Nico took a shaky breath. So his life all came down to this, huh? His skill at treachery. He felt absently in his pocket and touched the waxy reality of the origins of his epiphany. Fuck. Everything made sense. He knew what he had to do, even though every instinct inside him trembled and whimpered at the thought. If his instincts were right of course. If he’d assumed wrong…fuck, Nico didn’t even want to think about that. A plan flowed into his head as if from Athena herself. A long fucking shot that it was, since she probably wanted his ass on a silver plate, but shit, it was all he had.  
He padded back to the door of his room, heart thundering like Zeus on his period. Percy’s clothes…where had he thrown them? Shaking hands. Ok, shit, he had to take control of himself. Right. Deep breath. Nico silently flipped the blue jeans the right way in, stripped his off and slid the looser pair over his hips. Fuck, he’d need to tighten Percy’s belt to top notch the stop them falling off. That sexy bastard was tank! That…Nico swallowed at the thought of that honest, happy face wracked with betrayal. It was going to break his heart. But shit, there was no choice. His fate had been woven. Percy…Percy could know nothing. It had to be real.  
The shirt looked ridiculous, so he tied it at the back. Riptide? Yeah, the pen-sword was there. Hopefully the little fucker wouldn’t snap back to Percy when he left. Cause holy shit, he couldn’t take his Stygian baby with him. Fucking Nico trademark right there.  
Right, where was it? Filopappou Hill. Near the Parthenon. Right Nico. Focus the fuck up. Yeah, he’d got pretty good at lying and acting and tricking even himself over the course of his convoluted existence. Now was the mother of all tests. If he didn’t pass…well, he was fucked. At least he’d die at the happiest point of his life.  
“Dionysus,” Nico whispered. All the help he could get, he fucking needed. If the gods would help him. Was he a coward? Was that why Zeus had tried to nail him with a lightning bolt when he was little? The arbiter of fate should know better. “Help me.”  
And then Nico leaned into the shadows. The cooling tendrils wrapped around his body and dragged him through the familiar, shockingly fast tunnel of hundreds of shades of black.

He snapped back into existence blind. It was dark. Fucking dark. As in trapped-in-a-wall dark. Except he could move. Thank shit. Once he’d appeared in a wall, and by the gods, Nico shuddered to think what would have happened if half his body had been sticking out of it. Luckily he’d only exploded the side of a Spanish class, stared in dazed confusion and exhaustion at the almost hilariously shocked students, staggered back into the wall by way of apology and disappeared back off to Camp Half-Blood again. What fucking excuse the Mist had come up for that one, he’d have paid to see. Right. Forget the past. Focus on Percy. You’re Percy Jackson.  
The way forward was difficult – fuck, he didn’t even know where he was – but he could see the hint of light trailing a tantalizing, tiny glimmer off the walls, teasing him forward until the scant shimmer turned into a glow, the glow into a welcoming point beyond the black rock…and suddenly he could see.  
It looked like a throne room. Not as large or imposing as Hades’ or the dome of Olympus, but jagged and crude, as if newly hewn from black rock. The worst thing was, even if everything else was alien, the glistening surface of that stone was familiar. Fucking great. Get a harness on that galloping heart, Nico you pathetic motherfucker. Sitting in the centre was a giant that looked like a blender-morph of fucking David Bowie, Kiss and a mad, blind mix of Ares and Eric the stereotypical Viking. Plus dragon legs. That bitch was half lizard and proud. He, (Nico assumed from the admirable abs and lack of jugs) had braided green hair tinkling gently with weapons of every description, but shit, why deny a man, er giant, his bling? Hades had so much fun making jewel-encrusted armour and jackets and other pretty shit (but no other gods except Hermes and Persephone would ever touch them because they were ‘cursed’, the prejudiced bastards), why not the fucking enemy as well? The creepiest shit was that thing’s eyes though. White as scar tissue, but somehow alive. Ugh. Well, forward was the only way to go. Percy Jackson time. Hopefully giants were as thick as they were stereotyped to be.  
“Hey, you! Goldilocks!” Nico tried to mimic Percy’s inflection the best he could, and his walk, despite the raging adrenaline slamming in dizzying waves through his head. The giant lifted his head, like a statue coming to life.  
“Demigod, I would have killed you if I wasn’t expecting you.” The booming voice rang with arrogance – rightly deserved from the fucking armoury on his plaits – but a tiny blossom of both hope and screaming despair budded at the fact this lump of green scales hadn’t recognized him. Yet.  
“And I would have killed you if I didn’t want to talk to you, big boy.” Fuck. Sometimes the sass just escaped. But oh well. This giant needed him. Or thought he did. The creepy creature just laughed.  
“I would have crushed you before you even entered this room.” The giant leered in what Nico supposed it thought was a friendly way, but really just looked condescending. “But if you are willing to talk, Porphyrion is happy to listen.”  
“Porphyrion – “  
Fuuuuuuuuuck. Shit. Bitches on poles. Those fucking giant twins he recognized.  
“o’s that then?” The green haired one asked, suspicion narrowing his beady eyes. Shit be fucked if Nico could remember which twin was which. “I know ‘im.”  
“Of course you know me!” Fuck everything. He’d lay out his cards before these dull creatures could sort their hands. “I’m Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, hero of Camp-HalfBlood and Camp Jupiter, offered to become a god by Zeus, and I’ve whipped your sorry asses before, you snivelling rats.”  
“You’re skinnier than I remember!” A great, lime-green covered head bent down to sniff him. Why? Fuck knew. But he was covered in Percy’s scent from screwing the man’s ass, so no problem there.  
“Tartarus is a wonder for weight loss, chubby.” Fuck, insulting these guys was fun. Even made him forget what he was about to do. Momentarily.  
“I’m not ch-”  
“Percy!” The purple haired giant spat. Ephialtes? “Let me kill him, Porphyrion!”  
Funny how the placebo effect worked. If he pulled this shit off, he had the luck of fucking Alexander the Great. Nico let out a derisive laugh and looked back up at the much larger king on his throne of living rock. The aura of the being almost choked him up, but acting Percy was actually kind of liberating.  
“You’d be even bigger fools than you already are if you killed me, shorty.” He didn’t dare look the giants in the eye though. If there was one massive difference between him and Percy, it was their irises. “Because you need two Olympian demi-gods to awaken Gaia. My blood isn’t enough, is it? And who will the others follow into a trap without hesitation? Percy the golden boy. Percy the hero. They wouldn’t even suspect me of over exaggerating the weather, never mind full blown treachery.”  
“Why would you help us?” Ephialtes eyed him with distaste.  
“You know why?” Fuck, think! Flattery. That’s always a kicker. “Firstly, the fact that no matter how hard I try to put you mother – uh, I mean boys down, you pop right back up again. You’re invincible, and how can even I, Percy Jackson, kill an invincible army?”  
“Aw, did you hear that?” Otis danced slightly on the spot like a squeeing fangirl. Fuck, that one really was thick.  
“Shut up!” His brother barked, but before they could question him, Nico continued.  
“Your harpy was also right.” He put on a more serious tone and eyed the massive green-scaled toes of Porphyrion. “Gaia can never be defeated. And why should she? All our lives we depend on the Earth. We take her immobile presence for granted. Tartarus made me think over this matter more than I ever dreamed of. The demi-god cause is in vain. It is not right for us to deny the natural ownership of our earth. I want her to live. To regain her power. She has rights to this, this dirt we stand upon, not us puny mortals. Meaning me and my companions of course. Not you fabulous fellows.”  
“And you are willing to give your own life to bring her back, betray your friends and species to regenerate her?” Mr Weapon-dreads boomed.  
“I am, but who is the other?” Nico swallowed. He could physically feel the flesh trembling on his bones in sick, anxious shivers. Breathe.  
“The other?” Purple-haired bitch snickered. “You mean the one Miss Felicity mentioned?”  
A harpy named Felicity? What fuck was this? But Nico was in too deep to laugh. He felt as though the waves of his predicament were washing far above his head, and he could only vaguely see the retreating light of freedom from the darkness of his own mechanisms.  
“Yeah.”  
The laughter of three giants reverberated across the cavern, a sound grumbling through the very earth. Head high, Nico, no matter how fucking nauseated that makes you feel.  
“There was no traitor, Percy.” Porphyrion murmured with surprising gentleness, frosted-glass eyes fixed on him. “Fate is bound to every creature, human, god, Titan and giant. We have our own prophecies. We knew you would come, son of Poseidon, so planting the seed of doubt was merely to cause confusion, shake up some puny mortal heads. Add another entertaining fear to those weaklings to amuse us.”  
“It will be even more amusing, Lord, to see their faces as I betray them.” Nico sank to one knee. These fuckers drank in flattery like it was booze. “That Jason, always trying to prove himself better than me!”  
“Yeah!” Otis clapped enthusiastically, but shrank back at the Winchester-worthy bitch-face his brother shot him.  
“And Frank!” Nico spat. “I could have been both Praetor of Camp Jupiter and hero of Camp Half-Blood if that cursed son of Mars hadn’t got in the way.”  
“Terrible, isn’t it Percy? Don’t they deserve to suffer?” Porphyrion lilted in the most fucking obvious pretend sympathetic voice ever.  
“It will be difficult choosing which to kill.” Yeah, he’d actually have to think about that. Who should he take with him to be the second sacrifice?  
“Don’t worry, Percy.” That sadistic bastard Ephialtes snarled. “We’ll make sure that once you’re dead, they will follow. They will all die.”  
“Good.” Nico rose and turned, heart thundering. He only had to leave. Everything was clockwork. “I need a trap, a location near to where the harpy flew.”  
“I will send you a vision, boy. I am the king of the giants after all.” Monster-ass green-dude bent down and caught him, with one, talon-endowed finger by the shoulder. “Before you go, Percy, swear. Swear your loyalty. You will forgive me for not trusting demi-gods even ones as…helpful as you.”  
That word obviously stood in for ‘weak’ but the bastard meant to butter him up. But what the fuck. These bastards were getting him, for better or worse. Seal the deal with the devil, Nico. Nerves bubbled up inside him. Was there a light at the end of this tunnel, or just a mirage of a hope? Past the point of no return now.  
“I swear,” His voice rang sharply from the unforgiving, black stone and he felt the conviction of his words burn deep into the marrow of his bones. “By the River Styx, an oath even gods do not break without dire consequence, that I will die, I will give my life-blood to Gaia.”  
“Good.” Porphyrion purred, and the claw lifted from his skin as the weight of the pledge sank in. There was a hollow twitch in his conscience, as if something was watching his from the peripheral vision of his mind, but every time he metaphorically turned, there was nothing there. The power of the River was binding. “When you have caught the others, call on Enceladus. He…has less use than the others, who work on Mt Olympus as we speak, but will bring you to where we need you.”  
“Thank you, glorious giant.” Nico bowed and strode down the corridor he’d emerged from without a glance back. Now it was time to trick those other, unsuspecting demi-gods. So far, his plan was going well, in a twisted kind of way. There was just one more being he needed to talk to. Fuck, he should have been a child of Athena, the amount of scheming he did. Or not. How often did his plans actually work? If this failedl…. No, Nico. He took a deep breath. No. Go back to Percy. Make the most of the pleasure you can before karma bites you in the deceitful ass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if I don't get the giant characters spot on, I kinda skip some parts of the books :/ But anyhoo, whatcha think?...Do you think Nico can evade his promise? ;)


	12. Camp Half-Blood Sex Education Is Exactly What You Think It Is

12.

Well, the second deal felt better than the first. Nico just hoped his bargainer understood the secrecy and gravity of the situation. The others couldn’t know. They would try and stop him, for better or worse. Especially Percy…. Oh gods…Nico sighed as he strode back towards the golden-lit corridor preluding his room. No tears. Fuck no, even though his heart was thudding and hands shaking from what he’d just done. Percy would notice. Somebody would notice. His veneer had to be perfect marble.  
Whoops, he was still wearing Percy’s clothes. The guards clanked cheerily as he approached but he barely even noticed. Fuck, how long did he even have before he joined their ranks as a rotting corpse? No he couldn’t think like that. There was no point. He threw Percy’s shirt on the floor around where he vaguely remembered picking it up from. Percy wouldn’t care. That man trusted him to his bones. Ugh, it felt like every piece of clothing scented like his lover was a screaming, clawing witness to his actions, his betrayal. Well fuck it. Nico tossed off Percy’s jeans too and climbed into the soft mink bed. Here were luxuries he could exploit for just a little longer.  
“Mmm…Nico?” Percy blinked headily at the shift of weight on the bed, mussed from sex and sleep. His arms instinctively closed around where Nico had been lying, what, hours before? That was fucking the sweetest thing Nico had ever seen.  
“Here.” The son of Hades nuzzled up to that broad, tanned shoulder and kissed Percy's bare neck.  
“You’re cold.” Percy mumbled and slid a warm, work-roughened hand down his back to rest on the naked curve of his ass. Fuck feeling guilty. He’d felt enough guilt and shame and fear over the years and right here, right now he had what he wanted. Tomorrow was a different day. What was done was done. How could there be any harm in indulging himself in pleasure and giving his lover more happiness, be it delusional in the face of what he was about to do? Mmm, his cock did the thinking for him and thickened with the stimulation of that teasing backdoor hand sending tingles straight up his shaft.  
“You’re unfair, you know that?” Nico groaned and slid up against Percy’s naked skin to find his mouth. The kiss started off gentle – the son of Poseidon was still half-asleep – with their lips gently melting together. The heat of Percy’s body was irresistible, the lure of his thrumming skin offered up like a sacrifice to him.  
Percy suddenly growled into the deepening kiss and tangled large, dominating fingers into his hair. Against his thigh, Nico felt his lover’s half-hearted semi swell into a deliciously hard, hot embodiment of lust. Before the younger demi-god could even react, Percy wrenched him underneath his body, kissing his lips and sucking his tongue savagely, but shit, this motherfucker wasn’t keeping him down. Nico shoved up hard and slammed Percy back onto the bed, pinning him by both shoulders like a cat. They were already panting and the spark of adrenaline and testosterone seriously, fuck, seriously went to his head.  
“You staying down?” He grinned and cupped that fucking sexy cock in his hand, sliding it against his own. It was all he could do to keep from gasping high and moaning or finger-fucking himself for Percy to watch. Shit, there was so much he wanted to do with this man.  
“You’re not serious are you?” Even though Percy’s voice was gruff from the pleasure, the teasing tone was still obvious. “I’m not done playing.”  
Before Nico could even think, Percy sat up, wrapped those muscular arms around his waist and practically tackled him back over, biting his neck, sucking what felt like fucking amazing hickeys into his pale skin. He could only hope that the quick-healing nature of demi-gods got rid of them before they got back up top, but the sensation was too good to worry about; Nico couldn't help letting out a shuddering gasp under those lips. Ice and fire lanced through his spine in dizzying waves, zinging his nerves with electric pleasure. The other man’s eager dick thrust so hard against his hip that he swore he’d have bruises in the morning, but it just added to the hot feverous appeal of this fucking bestial, crude satisfaction. Percy wanted to play rough? Fucking fine by him.  
His resolve was immediately unsettled as that bastard’s hot tongue swiped around his nipple and Nico's body gave an involuntary jerk of pleasure. With fingers cruelly tight in Percy’s hair, Nico yanked him up to his knees and smacked him so hard on the ass it echoed around the stone room.  
“Uh, again!” Percy grunted, almost in surprise, knees spreading and stomach arched in toward him. The son of Poseidon’s cock was darker with stimulation than Nico had ever seen it, engorged and glistening with pre-come. “Don't you dare tease me like last time, you bastard.”  
"You seemed to enjoy it." Nico gave a wicked grin. There was so much kinky, dirty, violent shit, he wanted to do to that toned, receptive body. He spanked the older demi-god's ass cheek again, but Percy wasn’t going to let him have all the fun. A bronze arm looped under Nico’s shoulders and rolled him back onto the torn up sheets, and by glorious fuck, feeling the power in those muscles was exciting and sexy beyond anything his imagination had ever come up with.  
They tussled for a while, viciously kissing until fuck, Nico could taste someone’s blood, as they bit, sucked hard at each other’s quivering skin, gasped breathlessly together, lightheaded as they revelled in the pleasure in pain and admiration in each other’s strength. It was a hot fight of hitting, bruising, moaning, grunting and crying for more in the frantic hard urge for satisfaction off one another. All the time, Nico felt that fucking hot, firm cock riding some part of his body as he ground like an animal against Percy, grunting and on the verge of spilling when pain always brought him back from the threshold. Suddenly Percy yanked his legs open, kissed hungrily down his thighs and flicked his tongue over Nico's opening.  
"Fuck!" Nico's eyes rolled up and his body bucked into that mouth. He couldn’t believe the pleasure or the act, and his breath came in gasping gulps as Percy worked his way up to his dick. Shit, his cock was pounding with merciless desire for release. Fuck, if Percy sucked him, he’d come. Not in his book was Percy fucking winning this unspoken competition. Get that bitch where he belonged.  
He scooped Percy’s shoulders and thrust him over, pinning their bodies, sleek with sweat and blood here and there from unguarded nails, together, chest to chest.  
Nico bent, flicked his tongue over an erect nipple and caught it with his teeth – Percy seemed to love it when he did that, and the result didn't disappoint. Those pretty eyes listed, trying to focus as Nico gently rocked his hips and drew his cock up against Percy’s throbbing member, making them both groan high and desperate.  
“I should worry about you enjoying this.” Nico grinned up at him and slapped the side of the other demi-god’s toned thigh, not viciously hard, but sharply enough to make a satisfying _smack!_ and send Percy’s hands to cup his ass in a tight, squeezing grip.  
"I should worry about you knowing more about this than me." Percy rumbled and raised an eyebrow. Yeah, Greek sex-ed kinda went like this: If it wasn't caustic or an unwilling god, you could put your dick in it. You probably shouldn't put your dick in it, in fact, it'd probably be best _not_ to put your dick in it, but technically you can. Looking mainly at Zeus here. Nico wasn't certain what the women got, but it was probably a large shotgun. However, Percy wasn't going to let him think about anything other than the situation at hand for very long. Salacious eyes met his; those massaging fingers had a perfect grip on his ass, teasing the prospect of prostate stimulation as the two men gently thrust their cocks together. “Anyway, I’m sick of taking it slow and safe –”  
Percy broke off into a high gasp as Nico's pre-come slicked their members. Shit, Nico couldn’t stop a whine escaping his lips as pleasure thrummed through his belly, tormenting his groin with irresistible pressure and heat.  
“I want – “ Nico panted, his voice gravelly as helpless desire constricted his throat. “To fuck you. Now. Turn over.”  
He wanted to see that fucking pretty ass this time and he wanted it now. The slow, ruthless pace of Percy’s cock against his own member was making his muscles spasm and shake – a good shaking this time, but if he had too much….  
“Make me, Nico di Angelo.” That challenging smirk was fucking coy. How dare Percy disobey him? That fucker was asking for more punishment? He had another thing coming.  
“Bitch.” Nico knelt over Percy, not touching his body except for the hands pinning his shoulders. He held eye contact, exactly like their stare in that faux fight above ground. Gently, he stroked a finger from Percy's ass, up the other man’s cock, fully aware of how cruel he really was being.  
“Mmm!” Percy shuddered, eyes fluttering and almost broke their gaze. Fuck, how was eye contact so fucking hot? It had him so hard, it was almost painful. Under his hand, those powerful shoulders twitched, jerking as Nico traced another torturous line under his lover’s balls back towards that fucking tight ass. Shit, he wanted in, fuck, fuck. Percy was panting now, trying to open his legs wider but found himself restricted by Nico’s knees.  
“You bastard!” That fine chest was heaving now, he could feel the desperation and urgency.  
“You’re not sore are you?” Nico adopted a casual tone, as if he ran his fingers up Percy Jackson's cock every day. Yes, he knew he was a horrible tease, but shit, this pleasure might be the last he ever got. He going to fucking enjoy it.  
“Apparently demi-gods heal fast.” The son of Poseidon swallowed, trembling. Those tanned hands clenched into the sheets. Percy wasn’t even bothering to pretend he was keeping eye contact; those clear blue eyes rolled back, hips thrust upward, but fuck, Nico wasn’t satisfying any of it. He could ignore the thudding throb of his own lust for just a little while longer.  
THUNK! Without warning, Percy surged into him, tackling him off the bed, furiously kissing like a beast on heat. Fuck, the surprise, the newness and roughness sent a fresh shot of excitement through Nico’s stomach. It lent a ferocity to his tongue and teeth, but fuck, if Percy thought he could take control of this, that man needed a reality check. Nico fastened his hand tight around that pretty, tanned neck, revelling in the panic, then submission in Percy’s eyes.  
“Bad boy.” Nico panted, the bruises from landing hard on the floor throbbing smugly through his system. No fucking pain, no fucking gain. He rolled onto his knees and let the other demi-god go only briefly. It was fun to play cat and mouse. With a second’s pause he tangled his fingers into the other man’s hair. Percy gave a throaty cry as Nico pulled him off the ground, bit hard into a sweet spot in the shoulder and yanked this naughty fucking puppy to his feet, suddenly imbued with an idea.  
“I _will_ make you, bitch.” He pressed Percy against the wall beside the oil with his own body, letting his tongue explore the other man’s ear. Oh gods Percy’s muscular ass was firm against his cock!  
“Fuck you, but also fuck me.” The son of Poseidon arched into him, panting as their hot skin and muscles slid together in a raw grind of pleasure. Nico reached over, quickly dipped his fingers in the oil – shit he needed to do this fast - and roughly lubed up that tight ass and his cock. Percy was juddering, moaning, crying out and that shit was going straight to the head of Nico's dick. He could feel his own muscles begging for release in the hot shiver of sweat.  
“Hard. Now.” Percy’s voice was hardly recognizable: Ragged, rough and urgent as he braced himself against the black stone, and for once, Nico had no problem obeying the son of Poseidon. He pulled those perfect cheeks toward him and angled the head of his pulsing cock right into that slick, contracting tunnel.  
A high, gasping string of words in Greek, in English, in Italian that he had no control over left him. FUCK the entry was one of the best parts.  
“Yes, yes, yes!” Percy’s nails scraped the wall as he begged for something to cling on to. Hot tightness enclosed Nico's dick in a fiery squeeze, stripping his breath out his body. He moaned, lost in the hunger, hoping his legs wouldn’t collapse from it as he thrust a little deeper in a rolling rhythm, letting that constriction of muscles grasp his dick in delicious burning pleasure. Hard. Percy had specified hard. Well, he'd get what he asked for.  
Without warning to his partner, Nico grunted and slammed in further, faster, even still - oh gods! - restricting his desire to pound the fuck out of this man... but Percy shouted a word in Greek and rammed back, ripping that restraint to shreds. The older man found himself pinned to the wall, with Nico's hand pumping his slick cock. It was obvious he was hitting all the right spots, because Percy let out a hoarse scream and smashed the rock so hard with his fist that it cracked. Shit, that bitch was writhing, fucking himself relentlessly on Nico's cock, milking him. Fuck, Nico spanked an ass-cheek and the vibrations rippled through his shaft, harbouring intense pleasure.  
“Right there, right there, oh fuck me!” He hardly heard Percy’s rapid, throaty pleas. Fuck, he was balls-deep in that tight ass, and seeing himself slide rhythmically in and out, feeling the sensations of Percy’s shudders as he nailed his prostate was too much. His knees buckled and he slammed Percy’s writhing body harder into the wall as he desperately thrust and pumped his lover's cock at front. Nico had to bite that rippling shoulder to stop himself from screaming. Lights popped in front of his eyes as their cries blended into one orgasmic glut of sound. The peak of his pleasure hung tantalizingly in ecstatic balance for one immeasurable moment, and then his animal instincts took over, ramming his seed into the other man, breathless, hard, fast, hot, and fuck, he wanted to cry it was so fucking good.  
“You bitch…” Nico panted, only just standing, and gasped up an octave as Percy’s orgasming body contracted, shuddering around his sensitive, deflating dick. “Mm, you good bitch.”  
He closed his eyes and soaked up the moment: The taste of sweat and blood, – his own or Percy’s, he didn’t care – the scent of his lover and his own body mingled, the heat of that quivering physique against his chest and the pleasure-lull of orgasm. He just wanted to stay like this. Literally fucked. Happy. Fucking fucked and happy. But his burning leg muscles weren't going to let him stay upright for long.  
Nico couldn’t help a groan as he drew himself out of that tight channel. Percy moaned as well, turned sluggishly and took him by the hand. In the dim light, the demi-god was plainly covered in scratches and grazes from the stone and bites, but he was grinning as bright as the sun. Nico let Percy lead him back to the soft blankets, revelling in the luxuriant material after such hard, violent sex.  
“I want to do this every night till I die.” The son of Poseidon slid gentle fingers through his hair and looked him straight in the eyes.  
“You’d be pulverized by the time you’re twenty.” Nico reached up and gently brushed his bottom lip with a kiss. He could already feel his own lip swelling from a fierce kiss earlier, but the pain – all the bruises, cuts, hickeys, scrapes and something that felt chipped in his shoulder from hitting the floor – was proof of Percy’s desire for him. Percy wanted him violently, with a passion. He nuzzled into the natural feeling of the larger demi-god’s skin. Shit, he didn’t want to think about the future. There was nothing good he saw there. Here…at least here was warmth. Here was Percy, darkness and satisfaction. Never had any of it, except darkness, his eternal companion. But at least he’d had the opportunity to taste joy…even lo –  
“What do you think the others are doing?” The petting hand curled down his ear.  
“Yeah…we should get back to them.” Nico mumbled. The last thing he wanted to do, but fuck, he had to face Fate eventually.  
“Not quite yet.” Percy nuzzled his jaw with his nose. “I think I want to be your bitch for just a little longer.”  
“Fuck you.” Nico grinned and shifted to curl up into that broad chest.  
“Three times in one night is pushing it if night and day are divided here.” The larger demi-god held him, smiling out of sight. Nico couldn't help a smile creep on to his face too. Percy's happiness combined with the beautiful drowsiness of release was entirely the most comfortable he’d ever felt in his life. It was so tempting to tell. So tempting to ask for help. But no. There was no respite for him. Two fucks, that’s all Aphrodite had been willing to give him. And he was fine with that.  
“Percy…” Shit, no fucking crying. Just…had to say something.  
“Mmm?” The handsome man was already breathing evenly, ready for sleep.  
“Whatever happens, you have made me happier beyond my every dream.” Shit, fuck, everything he said now would plunge into this man’s heart as a knife later. So that’s it. Snap the trap, genius.  
“You too, Nico. But don’t worry. I’ll protect you from Gaia. I’ll fucking kill her if she touches you.” By the way those sturdy bronze arms tightened around his slender frame, Nico could have believed it. If he wasn’t going to trap this sorry son of a bitch with the rest of those goody two shoes demigods and offer himself up willingly to the giants to kill. Nice thought to entertain, Percy killing the actual Earth. But in all reality? He’d had his fun, his run. Torture and death beckoned with wicked, dripping arms, much more powerful than the flesh and muscle holding him safe now. With those happy thoughts fucking bound to give him great dreams, Nico slipped away into the darkness of sleep.


	13. Everything Takes A Sudden Turn For the Worst And Nothing Is OK

13.

The apocalypse didn’t really seem too bad. Percy shot a glance across at that downright sexual tiger he had for a boyfriend as they walked. Yeah, they’d finally left the Underworld with all its seductive privacy and returned to the light – something Percy had missed sorely, even though he’d willingly make the trade again for another night with Nico. Mmm, that son of Hades had literally and mentally taken him to another realm of pleasure. Taken being the operative word.  
But now they were trying to find the rest of the group. It wasn’t hard – unlike some things – but Percy had absolutely no clue how much time they had to catch up on. Had it been a day? Two? Or just one night? The Underworld, without the tide or sun was an endless place. How many days until the prophecy was due?  
“Hey Nico?” He admired the way dappled light played on his lover’s skin, but gods, Percy had no idea how the demi-god was wearing such a heavy coat on such a warm day. It wasn’t as if he needed to cover anything; their minor scrapes and bruises had healed with a nibble of ambrosia and a splash of water for Percy here and there.  
“Mmm?”  
“I don’t want to be all ‘the end is nigh’ but just…” He sighed and looked in those catlike yellow eyes he loved so much and felt a quiver of desire thrill down his spine. “The end is kinda nigh. I mean, I’ve stayed alive a long time for a Greek demi-god anyway and, well…”  
Yeah, the worry was there, like a fretting Grover in his mind-garden. He’d been on the front line so many times and barely escaped with his life that it was obvious one day he’d push his luck too far. Nico just sent him a strangely sardonic smile.  
“You die and I’ll kill you.”  
“Haha, wow, that’s reassuring!” Percy bumped the lithe demigod with his shoulder, tossing him a grin. Somehow Nico’s quiet, even dark humour made him feel warmer.  
“Hey, do you hear…?” The raven-haired man looked into the scrubby trees, and his expression dropped a little. Sure enough, Piper’s distinct voice carried through, only, what, 20 metres or so by Percy’s guess.  
“The others! Come - ” Nope, not quite yet, actually, Percy decided, with an appreciative look at the pretty demi-god beside him. They wouldn’t have any time together with the others, and if the world truly neared the end? “ - Come here, you sexy bastard.”  
He pulled Nico’s head forward and kissed him. Gods, the way that boy reacted, first tensing in surprise, then looping his arms up around Percy’s neck, pressing a half-hard cock against his thigh, hit so many good spots…mmmm…. Nico’s tongue pushed leisurely against his, hot and…strangely soft for the bondage-and-rough-play demi-god.  
“Mmm…” The son of Hades kissed down his neck, but with no ferocity or hunger. It was almost as if he was saying goodbye, and that hit a horrible nerve in Percy’s stomach. No. Almost instinctively, he tightened his arms around those slender shoulders. After everything Nico had suffered through, he didn’t deserve to say goodbye to the corpse of another loved one.  
“Nico,” He growled in the other man’s ear. “Forget what I said. I’m not dying anytime soon and neither are you.”  
He wanted to tell him that if there was any terrible danger, to run, hide, but Percy knew that if Nico told him the same thing, by the gods, he’d ignore it.  
“I’m going to protect you.”  
“Who says I need protecting, bitch?” Nico smiled, eyes teasing, and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Come on, before you melt into a pool of emotional goop.”  
Percy couldn’t help laughing. It was nice to see this guy a little less serious, even when the occasion really was the worst they’d come across. Ah well. With Nico at his back? They could either die a glorious death or win a beautiful victory. Together.

“Percy! Nico!” Frank was the first person to spot them as they emerged from the treeline. From his expression, it looked as though he’d the ghost of his whoop-ass grandma.  
“OHMIGOSH!” On his left, Nico was practically taken out by a flying Hazel. “You’ve been gone so long, we thought the giants had got you! Jason tried to Iris message you, but he said he couldn’t find you anywhere!”  
The blonde Roman just raised his eyebrows at him, a gesture Percy returned with a grin. He had a feeling that sly dog knew exactly what they’d been up to no matter where they were.  
Even Annabeth looked relieved, though Percy had a feeling she was still too slighted to admit it.  
“Thing is that the day of the prophecy, our, y’know, great and terrible deadline?” Leo rummaged around in his pack, almost nervously. “It’s tomorrow.”  
Oh. Well that put a dampener of Percy’s good mood.  
“What?” Nico suddenly snapped around, eyes fixed on the mechanic.  
“Yeah.” Leo shrugged. The whole _‘to fire or storm the earth must fall’_ thing must be getting to him. Jason had once told Percy that Leo had never been warrior quality. An engineer, a powerful demigod with outstanding special abilities, but the mental fighting mettle? Leo was a hero in his own ways, not the death or glory that Percy relied on.  
“Anyway, what happened with you?” Piper was munching on a sandwich, and suddenly Percy realized just how hungry he was. No meals in the Underworld, unless you were planning on doing a Persephone.  
“Food first?” He gave her a bashful grin and glanced back at Nico, who nodded, already eyeing the sandwich with such predatory interest that Percy half expected him to drop onto all fours and start stalking it. That guy’s appetite had picked up like Zeus picked up chicks ever since…well, ever since they’d started making out in various locations. Jason had mentioned how happy Percy’s interest in Nico would make him. Peharps before that he hadn’t been eating because he felt rejected? Poor guy. Truth be told, after all that mind-blowing sex and happy satisfaction of their relationship, he wished he’d noticed the slinky Underworld boy before. 

The next day, after scraping together a feasible cock-and-bull story about giants and harpies that Annabeth and Jason (to an extent) obviously didn’t believe, they set off towards Athens again. The idea was to catch a train to Mt Olympus and somehow slice and dice the giants with some divine aid. Seemed pretty threadbare to Percy, but what else was there? What could they do except procrastinate (which sounded like a pastime the others had been indulging in quite a bit) and wait. Oh and Percy could hardly keep his mitts off Nico, but it was a nice restraint. It meant that the next time they were together – if there was one – they’d enjoy each other’s bodies so much more for the absence.  
“Percy…” Speak of the devil. Nico pulled him over as they walked through the hilly, outlying suburb of the city. Not many passers-by cared to spare a glance at eight teenagers strolling through the streets with tatty camper bags and determined expressions at 6am in the morning. Probably the story of every student backpacker.  
“Hey.” Percy smiled at him and nearly brushed those cupid-bow lips with a kiss. How had he not noticed just how _pretty_ Nico had become? Pretty, cute, sexy…How did he manage so many desirable things? And how had nobody not snapped him up by now, or tried anyway?  
“Percy, I had a dream last night from Dionysus.” Nico sighed and looked away, something warring in his yellow eyes. His rough scent played some pretty chemical chords in Percy’s head, and he couldn’t help giving his powerful lover another appreciative once-over, even though this sounded serious. “I didn’t know whether to tell you at first, because it seemed a little strange but…he showed me the way to this cave, like a massive cavern with a sword in the middle of it. He said this sword was a key to Olympus, the Key of Bellerophon, and the one who held the sword could direct their power – say fire or lightning – through it in an extremely powerful way. A force even strong enough to take on a giant, or in Bellerophon’s case, let him think he could visit Mt Olympus without permission.”  
A sword-key?  
“Why didn’t Dionysus tell us of this before?” This…this is what they’d been waiting for. Percy suddenly felt energized and excited. They could give the sword to Leo or Jason. Fire or storm.  
“He was looking for it, with satyrs, nymphs and minor gods…and now he’s found it. He said they weren’t even sure if it still existed, which is why we’ve never heard of it.” Nico’s lip tweaked into a curious smile.  
“Well, what are we doing hanging around! Come on, I’ll tell the others.” Trust Nico to find a solution when they thought they were lost. That guy always had something up his sleeve, although it was a bit odd for an Olympic god to contact a Kthonic demi-god. Why hadn’t Dionysus contacted him or Annabeth or something? Oh well. It was a cave; underground was Nico’s arena of expertise.

 

“I don’t know about this.” The daughter of Athena, Jason and Leo eyed the yawning cave entrance with distaste. It had been about an hour walk, but at least they were going somewhere useful, Percy figured. This could be the absolute decider. Even so, their group had been torn about it. Frank had been super keen for an all-powerful weapon to smash the giants with. Hazel was more than happy to go along with Nico’s plan, just as Percy was. Piper didn’t seem to mind either way and the others seemed uncomfortable at the idea. The unspoken unease rang of mistrust. There was a traitor. Somebody was standing there was a perfect face, plotting. Percy didn’t want to believe it. He trusted every single one of them with his life! What was the motive? Which demi-god would want to kill them? It was impossible. Nobody had ever shown a sign of anger or mistrust towards any of them…He couldn’t believe it, but his eyes instinctually slid to Annabeth. Would she - no. Hell may hath no fury like a woman slighted, but Annabeth he could trust with every fibre…shit. He’d say that about everybody.  
“Why not?” Percy raised his eyebrows. They were wasting valuable time.  
“Doesn’t it seem a little convenient, on the day we need something, a weapon appears in a cave, a perfect place for a trap?” The stormy gaze challenged his, and he searched it for a glint of spite or out-of-character goading. No, just a flinty chill that made him feel like a Pegasus’ ass. “That harpy said one of us is a traitor.”  
“Yeah, and look who’s trying to stop us getting a weapon to kill the giants when we only have a day?” Frank interjected, suspicion pouring from his glare.  
“You dare incite that I’m a traitor?!” Annabeth rounded on him. Jason looked as though he wanted to defend one of them, but, like Percy, was trying to measure up the situation.  
“Look, maybe we’re just getting the heebeejeebies cause it’s underground.” Leo shrugged. “Like, I don’t dig going under a hundred tons of dirt, but that ain’t gonna stop me from getting this sword.”  
It seemed like the others agreed, be it uneasy. Percy couldn’t help noticing Piper’s furtive glance around the group, as if trying to pick out a guilty expression. Funny how a word, an idea, could have them mistrusting each other.  
“Look, maybe no-one is going to betray us.” Percy held up his hands and walked towards the cave. Even if he couldn’t be sure – although it was inconceivable to think any of those worried faces were false – his confidence could inspire the rest. And by Tartarus, if the giants wanted a demi-god with strong Olympic blood, the son of Poseidon was a sure-fire choice. He could take the consequences. “That harpy could very well have been playing with our heads and we’re falling for it. Come on.”  
The others exchanged uncomfortable glances and followed him. Nico’s lips twitched up into an encouraging smile. Man that guy made him feel warm even from just a look.

Wow. It was actually quite large. Not Cave of Aladdin massive, but about the height of a one-story house. And the thing that surprised Percy the most was that it was so _normal_. A cave anyone could walk into, with a turn in the gaping pathway and then bam! The space opened up. Not exactly secret, but hey, maybe the gods went with hiding things in plain sight. There was no decoration, no twisted bones, gems, skulls or writing either like the caverns in the House of Hades. Just jagged black rock and crumbly clay here and there. So ordinary in his messed up life that it was strange. At least there weren’t bats. Those things reminded Percy of rats with wings.  
“Look!” Hazel gasped in a hushed voice and pointed towards the centre of the cave where a patch of dark – no, a hunk of rock stood sporting a great makhaira, a wide-bellied cavalry sword. He’d seen those weapons in the armoury, but usually only the frequent Pegasus riders could make good use of them. It seemed to fit; this key seemed connected to Bellerophon, and even though that hero had royally failed, he was the only Greek to tame the original Pegasus – in antiquity, not even Perseus had been able to. So a cavalry sword made sense.  
“Well, what are we waiting for, we don’t have all day!” Frank strode forward. Well what the hell. It was their only hope.  
“Shit!” Nico muttered beside him as he stumbled and almost hi-fived the ground with his face. “Shoelace. You go on ahead, this won’t take a second.”  
“Yeah, ok.” Percy was kinda glad that Nico was a little behind. If anything happened, if this was a trap…at least Percy wouldn’t have to worry about saving his life.  
He strode forward and caught up with the others, standing around the pinnacle of jagged stone.  
“Do we just pull it out?” Leo’s face was twisted with indecision. True the darkness and invisible weight above them twinged in Percy’s stomach, but hey, it would be the same for the others in an underwater ruin or something. Man up.  
“You or me?” Jason looked at his friend. Maybe Dionysus had told Nico –  
Whoa! The ground suddenly juddered beneath them like a violently stalling car, screeching as though metal was scraping past it. Shit! Percy instinctively pulled Annabeth against him, covering her with his body in case any rock fell from the ceiling. Usually he found earthquakes fine, his dad being the god of earthquakes and all, but this…this was no natural event.  
_Clang! Clang! Clang!_  
It sounded like a portcullis smacking against stone, or against metal through the confusion of demi-gods yelling. The cave rumbled and his own heart surged adrenaline to his muscles. He kept Annabeth beneath him until the ground stopped moving.  
“You ok?”  
The gaze still harboured the hint of a glare, but grateful confusion overrode the cold flintiness.  
“Fine, yes.”  
Percy lifted his head and came face to face with an iron grate, a criss-cross weave of metal that rose an arm’s length above his head and met another cruel-looking stretch of interlocked bars. Left was Jason with Piper clutching onto one side of his broad chest, eyes wide, while on the other side Leo was using his arm as a shelter. If he hadn’t been so shaken up, Percy would have laughed. Hazel and Frank were behind them. They were surrounded by bars on all sides – in a cage and no sword to be seen.  
“Oops.” He knew that voice. Percy snapped his head around and…no. Gods, no that could not be true. He couldn’t… Nico strode over, dusting off his hands, a malicious glint in his eye. “Get on your feet. Cowering on the ground won’t save you.”  
No. That hard, cruel tone wasn’t Nico, could never be…He felt helpless, just stood staring at the son of Hades, who raised a jaunty eyebrow.  
“You seriously didn’t believe all that bullshit about a sword did you?” Nico paced across the front of the bars, admiring their shocked faces with sadistically intrigued yellow eyes. Like a cat mesmerized by a mouse running on a wheel in its cage.  
“You BASTARD!” Frank yelled and rammed his fist against the bars. They didn’t even shake, but Frank’s fist came away bloody. Sharp points slid out of the metal in front of Percy, like rose-thorns growing in quick time.  
Nico just tutted. “I think it’s time for some house rules, don’t you? You touch the bars, the spikes grow until – oh no! – you all die. And don’t think you can get away through the floor because, you poor wee demi-gods, there are bars under there as well.”  
The fake sympathy didn’t even touch his eyes. What was wrong with him!  
“Nico – “  
“You try to break it with water…” Nico cut him off with a hard stare. “They grow twice as quickly. Fire, three times as fast.”  
“How could you do this!” Jason strode forward, though not too close to touch the bars. “Betray your friends – your species!”  
“Pretty easy really.” Nico shrugged and paced again. “I hate you fucking bastards. I know how you insult me behind my back. And I’m not an environmentalist, but shit, have you seen how much humanity has fucked the world up? Maybe we need to step down from our self-proclaimed pedestal. This world _is_ Gaia. She cannot be destroyed without our deaths as well. We will never win. One day – today – she will.”  
Percy felt like his heart was being torn out of his ribcage. Nico was speaking like some brainwashed bible-basher of the primordial gods. How could this be the real Nico? His instincts twinged as they told him the son of Hades wasn’t lying.  
“Just let us out. You know this is wrong.” The son of Jupiter growled.  
“Or what, blondie? You’ll strike me down with lightning?” The son of Hades put on a voice of mock terror. “Oh no! Please don’t! Wait, I – I – just remembered that you’re underground and there’s no fucking sky.”  
Jason looked taken aback by the harshness and scorn in his voice. Nobody could really absorb just how malevolent the quiet mysterious kid had become. And the sass! Even though Percy was reeling in shock, where had Nico got a mouth like that from?  
“If you want to kill us, why wait around hmm?” Annabeth pulled away from Percy's protective grip. He still felt dazed, hollow and useless like never before. Nico, his lover, that happy, contented man, was going to sell them off?  
“Ooh, Annabeth!” Suddenly Nico’s voice changed. He almost sounded…flirty? “You know, we really got off on a wrong foot a little while ago. We should make it up some time, huh?”  
“Nico, stop it!” Hazel suddenly burst out. A tear streaked down her dark cheek.  
“Shut the fuck up, corpse!” His change was immediate. The son of Hades rounded on her, lip curling in what looked like disgust. “I brought you back and I have every right to send you straight down to the Underworld where you belong. I own you. The only reason I kept you around was to see how long my little experiment would work. You are my fucking property, and if you say one more word, I take the demigod I need and kill all of these other worthless children here. Nod if you understand, stupid girl.”  
He sounded dead serious. Hazel looked like someone had just thrown acid in her face, eyes wide with shock and horror. A sob hiccupped into her throat as more tears lined her cheeks and she nodded. What _the fuck_ was wrong with Nico? The question couldn’t stop reverberating through Percy’s head. He loved Hazel more than anything…or had. This was a nightmare. This couldn’t be real.  
“I’lll KILL YOU!” Frank suddenly roared in the stunned silence, and strode forward, evidently about to hit the jagged bars again, but Jason yanked him back, glaring at the dark demi-god opposite them.  
“Ooh, believe me big boy, I’m terrified.” Nico raised his eyebrows. “But this was all so much fun! I mean seeing you all fret about who was going to betray you, then lapping up my bullshit like gullible children – “  
“Nico, you don’t want to do this.” Percy looked him straight in those pretty eyes, trying to plead, trying to appeal to the lover he’d known what seemed like a long time ago. “If you can’t listen to them, please listen to me.”  
The son of Hades came right up to the bars, almost close enough to touch, if the gaps between the metal weren’t the size of a playing card.  
“You know, out of everyone’s loyalty to mess with, I’d have to say…yours was the most…” A cocky flicker lingered in his gaze. “Fun. Like a puppet really, so easy to manipulate to do _whatever_ I wanted.”  
Those eyes darkened, and suddenly Percy realized what he meant. He’d been used like a sex doll, a free slut. Just because Nico had wanted to fuck something.  
“RRRRGGH!” All the hollow uselessness was washed away in a surge of red anger and he slammed his arm against the bars. Nico’s eyes widened momentarily in surprise, but then he turned and cocked his head, as if listening to something they couldn’t hear. Percy didn’t even feel the blood running down his torn skin until it pattered on the rock below them. Raging, neurotic thoughts charged around his head like Minotaurs with a gladfly on their asses. How could he have been so stupid? But how could he have seen through the act though? There had been nothing, no sign...who was this guy really? There had been so many different sides to this demi-god that Percy couldn’t see which one was the true Nico he’d once wanted.  
“I don’t know who you are Nico.” He growled. “What you’ve become, or what you have been all along doesn’t deserve the friendship of these people or of me.”  
“How could you?” Suddenly Percy felt Annabeth’s hand on his back. He’d let her go just to screw around with this monster. What sort of person was he?  
“Aw look, the couple of the century back together again.” Nico pouted and the click of bones echoed around the cave. Ten skeletons, some still a little too fleshy to quite be classed as skeletons, marched into view, obviously having clawed out of the dirt beyond the entrance. Suddenly the air beside Percy went freezing cold and –  
“Annabeth!” Piper yelled. Nico re-appeared outside the cage, his Stygian blade set tight against her throat.  
“LET HER GO YOU BASTARD!” Percy roared and vaguely felt Jason and Frank gripping his arms and torso as he tried to rush forward again.  
“Mmm, what a piiiity you can’t have her.” Nico almost sang, nuzzling – what the actual fuck!? – nuzzling her neck, a wicked smile on his face.  
“Let me go, you freak!” Annabeth tried to reach for her Drakon-bone knife, but a skeleton had already taken it.  
“You know,” Nico tangled his fingers so tight in her hair that she had no choice but the rest her head on his shoulder. “I don’t usually go for older girls, but I might make an exception, mmmm…”  
Percy felt white hot rage and a small stab of lingering jealousy flash through him as the son of Hades ran his tongue up her neck, but Jason and Frank did not loosen their grip, even though he thrashed and kicked. Not Annabeth, anyone but Annabeth. He’d already lost Nico to madness. It was tempting to call on water, but if any of it touched the bars, they’d all be dead within minutes.  
“Let me GO!” Suddenly that brave girl elbowed Nico in the ribs, but she was caught by five skeletons. Without her weapon, the daughter of Athena was defenceless.  
“Rough, huh?” Nico’s eyes glinted darkly. “I’ll have to remember that for later.”  
He forced a gag around her mouth and to Percy’s horror pushed her on to the ground. He did a small hand gesture over Annabeth’s eyes that Percy couldn’t make out and then straddled her body, grinning with savage pleasure.  
“You’re sick!” Piper screamed, tears lending a glassy sheen to her cheek.  
“And if you dare try and charmspeak me…” Nico smirked and locked eyes with her. “You’re just going to make it worse for pretty little Annabeth here.”  
He stroked down her body and slid the fabric and bra strap off her shoulder.  
“Nico, if I EVER get out of here, I will kill you!” Jason snarled, and Percy could feel his arms shaking with restraint. “You disgust me.”  
“Seconded.” Leo’s fist were balled, obviously trying to control the fire in his hands. “You creepy, desperate bastard, you’re dead.”  
“Make that three.” Frank was panting heavily from holding Percy away from the now-razor-sharp bars, but rage almost radiated off him in waves.  
“Well then I’ll just have to have some fun before you somehow magically break out.” Nico winked and, with the help of several skeletons, tied Annabeth’s struggling hands and legs together. He looked back up at them with an cruelly innocent expression “I mean, to my knowledge poor Annabeth is going to die a virgin, and we can’t have that, can we?”  
“YOU’RE FUCKING SICK!” Percy yelled, and the rest of the demi-gods exploded into rage behind him. How? How could Nico be saying these things? What had the giants done to him? Even worse, had the giants needed to do anything?  
The son of Hades just raised his eyebrows at him , almost as if to say _‘well you enjoyed it’_. That sick – rrrgh! There were no words. He felt betrayed in every way.  
“Come on then boys.” Nico got off the daughter of Athena, but even with hands and feet tied, she struggled too much for the skeletons to keep a grasp on her.  
“Oh for fuck’s sake.” The black-haired freak knelt beside her and smacked her on the head with the butt of his sword. Then he bent down and kissed her slack lips with a leer. “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her…till she wakes up, at least.”  
Percy’s head span with anger, disbelief, sickening disgust and frustration. Nico was gay. He’d…or was he? He’d never actually said. He’d never said a lot of things. Just got straight down to pleasure most of the time. Used Percy like a fucking whore. And he’d played along so well. He wanted to cry, to scream, to beat his flesh bloody on the spiked bars, to curl up a corner and try and wake up from this nightmare…but all of those things were impossible.  
“Come on, Enceladus is waiting.” The entourage of skeletons carried Annabeth’s lolling body toward the entrance. “I think out of all the giants, he’ll be pleased with our little whore here.”  
Nico tossed off his jacket as he went, revealing an oversize Camp-Halfblood shirt, and he also threw his belt on the ground. Percy didn’t even want to think about why he was stripping.  
“YOU’RE DEAD!” Piper screamed. “May the gods curse you till your dying breath!”

And then they were gone. Not even a sorrowful look back, not hint that Nico was remorseful. Just a cold, sick bastard. Less than human. How? That question still hadn’t left his stunned mind.  
“What do I do?” Percy realized his voice was hoarse from yelling and tears stung his eyes. "What do I do?"  
His hands were shaking and his gut felt as if it had been emptied. Frank looked livid, but Jason pulled him in for a man-hug.  
“We’ll find a way to get out of here and beat the shit out of that little creep.” Jason pulled back and looked at him. “I’m so sorry, man. I never knew he was like that.”  
“H-h-how c-could he?” Hazel finally spoke up, meek voice interrupted by hiccoughing sobs. “I’ve known h-h-him for so long…”  
She was sitting on the cave floor, hugging her knees, staring after where Nico had left. Another tear trickled down her slick cheek. Frank and Piper immediately ran to her, and Jason and Leo led Percy over too, hands warm and comforting on his shoulders. They all sort of sat in a make-shift council circle.  
“Gods…” Piper rested her head on Hazel’s shoulder as Franks rhythmically stroked his girlfriend’s hair. “Poor Annabeth. I don’t even know whether she can wile her way out of this one.”  
A perfect tear-droplet fell from her eyelashes.  
“She’s smart…” Leo tried to comfort, but his tone was desolate. “She doesn’t even have fire or water powers-“  
“He took her because she’s pretty defenceless!” Percy burst out. “She may be a good strategist, clever, but without her knife, the best she can do is think.”  
“That cowardly bastard!” Jason snarled and his fist tightened against Percy’s back. “I will kill him.”  
“Get in line.” Frank muttered. Percy felt a horrible wrench twist in his gut. Even if this had really been Nico, could he stand back and watch the others hurt the man who had made him feel so happy? Shit. Why, gods, did it have to be Nico and Annabeth? It felt like the world was out to flay his heart.  
“First we h-h-have to g-get out of here.” Hazel tried to calm her breath, but still held on to Frank. She looked like how Percy felt. Desolate, disbelieving, hollow and grief stricken. It was like Nico had just died. He hadn’t seen a glimmer of good left in him. How could he have fallen so far? And acted so happy with Percy when all he wanted to do was betray them and carry out his sick fantasies on Annabeth?  
“Nico knew Annabeth’s clever thinking would help us get out. I thought he had a thing for her but never…” Piper took a deep breath and shook her head. “Anyway, come on. We have to save her.”  
Without using their demi-god powers, how were they going to escape this cage, and even if they did…how would they get out in time to save Annabeth from rape and the world from the rise of Gaia? Percy put his head in his hands and wiped the stinging tears from his eyes. If the sons of Poseidon, Hephaestus, Mars, Jupiter and the daughters of Pluto and Aphrodite couldn’t find a way out of a fucking cage, then they didn’t deserve to be children of gods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw poor Percy! Tell me whatcha think! c: So many people like my work I'm really honoured! Thanks for the support, it really makes my writing worth it :)


	14. Six Demigods Get Eaten Out By A Ghetto Horse

14.

 

It had been two hours, and Percy was afraid Leo was going to bust out the Nicolas Cage jokes. They’d tried everything. Celestial bronze, imperial gold, Hazel’s metal powers, Jason had tried to use the wind, but the cave air was as dead as they were about to be. Piper even tried to charmspeak the bars, but all they got as a result was less space. The once-thorn-sized points were now the length of short swords, and if they pushed it any more, six demigods were about to become six kebabs. Every now and then, one of the girls went to their man for comfort, though half the time Percy felt like doing the same. Except it would look a bit odd if he wrapped his arms around Jason and bawled into his shoulder. He just wanted to go back to ignorance, to lying happy and blissfully deceived in Nico’s bed. Or back to when he and Annabeth had sat together at the picnic with Reyna and the rest of them, relieved and happy. But no. His life was a mess and nothing but the strength of his will and his friends could put it right. He had to be a hero.  
“We could try praying?” Piper shrugged as they huddled together in the centre. Ok, it was tight, but nobody except him and Frank had actually managed to cut themselves on the razor bars. Percy grimaced as he eyed his own shredded skin. Another scar for failure.  
“The gods are not going to put saving a few demi-gods before saving the world.” Frank ran his eyes over the descending points above them, a grim expression etched into his face.  
“They need us!” Jason threw up his hands. The frustration of being confined was getting to the son of Jupiter. More than any of them, he relied on airspace and open ranges for his powers and being holed up under the earth was not his cup of ambrosia. “Half of the giants can’t be killed without demi-gods and gods working together.”  
Hazel sighed. Even with her chocolate-coloured skin, it was easy to see the pallor of shock hadn’t left her. “Maybe they have others – I mean they’re gods! In the old days they used to pick up and drop off mortals from all over the place. If they want demi-gods with them, they’re not going to let a bit of distance bother them.”  
“Then why even send us?” Percy suddenly felt like this whole expedition was a waste of time. They’d been attacked, broken up, emotionally bruised, near killed, starved, all to end up in an unbreakable trap when the gods didn’t even need them specifically after all.  
“The prophecy…it has to be something to do with that.” Jason sighed, looked around their faces and then scowled. “We should have known that freak was the traitor! He wasn’t one of the seven. He just tagged along for the joyride, got our faith and then took advantage of our trust. I swear…”  
The blonde man’s hands twisted as though he were breaking a chicken’s neck, but he didn’t meet Percy’s eyes. Yeah, that’s all he’d been. A joyride. But they’d spent at least the first hour threatening and raging over Nico. They needed to find something more productive.  
_Clip-clop, clip-clop._  
“Hey do you hear…” Frank cocked his head towards the cave entrance. That was unmistakably a horse. Unmistakably…  
“Arion!” Hazel leapt up and grinned.  
_Wassup ma nigga bitch homie!_ Not even Hazel had figured out that her horse was as ghetto as Harlem. A whinny was a whinny to non-horse speakers. Seriously, Percy liked Arion, he really did. But that horse had a mouth like Eminem on speed. _Heard cho ass was up in da shit, so ah rode my white-ass booty down here to bust y’all outta tha slammer, dawg._  
“Arion, can you help us?” Hazel glanced at Percy, who nodded.  
“That’s the gist of it.”  
_Gurl, ahm gonna save you, yo friends, even skinny-ass fire dude over there._ The horse nodded at Leo. _But choo know what rangles ma withers most? Yo Doctor Doolittle over there ain’t even crawled his ass outta that cage as a fly or some shit. Do ah gotta do all tha thinkin round here? Ahm a motherfuhcking horse, nigga, no disrespect home gurl, when you geet out choo can put it right here, you know what ah be saying?_  
The horse lifted a hoof and turned its head to snicker at Hazel. Gods, he’d forgotten how much this animal talked.  
“He says Frank could get out by turning into a fly or something.” Percy cocked an eyebrow at them and Frank looked momentarily confused.  
“I don’t know whether I can do insects.” He shrugged.  
“You’ve been a butterfly.” Hazel smirked despite herself and for a second the family resemblance to Nico shot across her features.  
_Yo ass been a_ butterfly? Arion snorted out a laugh. _Are you da home dawg of Mars or Disney, motherfucka? Sorry to yo pimpin ass, son of P-Dizzle, but choo gotta admit, that gonna be one ratchet butter-flutter wit guns like dat shit._  
Hazel could obviously tell her horse was laughing and gave him a mock warning glare.  
“Didn’t get to see it, sadly.” Percy couldn’t help smiling. Arion’s talk was just too infectious, though borderline annoying sometimes. Frank glowered and mumbled something about drugs and Nico, which Percy didn’t catch. There was a moment of expectant silence and then a bee hummed where Frank had been standing. It buzzed between the iron stakes and out of the gaps. Then the son of Mars popped back into existence beside the brilliant white stallion.  
_Dat shit was smokin! Ah copped that, choo see dat, A-Rider bust yo ass out da slamma. Now whatchoo gonna say to yo playas, nigga, dat cho ghost was deprived by a four-legged, diamond-eatin’ swag-wag?_ The horse flicked his ears, but Frank just buzzed, then cleared his throat. Percy tried to keep a straight face.  
“Ok, I’m out…but there isn’t a lock or door…” The large demi-god paced around the cage.  
“Frank, you should go, find Annabeth.” Hazel tried to give him pleading eyes, but her boyfriend shook his head.  
“I’m not-“ The protest was cut off by an indignant neigh, and Frank was shouldered out the way by the stallion.  
_Choo be thinkin that ma ghetto-ass plan was cruising up here and crackin Dr Doolittle outta yo toothpick collection? Homie-bitch, dat was just ma brilliant ass shinin in da spotlight. Yo ass be chillin in a game-size haypile, you pickin up what I’m putting down Ha-zizzle?_  
“Percy, what did he say?” The darker girl sighed and looked at Percy, who was translating himself.  
“Um, I think he wants to eat us out?” He glanced up at the horse, who huffed a confirmation.  
“Eat us out?” Jason eyed the horse with suspicion, and Percy suddenly realized how dirty that sounded. Oops. “Can he eat this stuff?”  
_Dayum shit, playa of P-Dizzle, did dis lil’ jacked-up electric toaster question ma chompers?_ Oh no.  
“He didn’t - ”  
_He may be hangin in da hood of da big-wig J-dude, but hell no did he just rap off his snapper bout ma motherfuckin skillz. Ah would hella-no be here if ah couldn’t bust ma homie nigga and yo swag-ass, P-hoe, outta dis here slamma. Git dis biatch in da game, mo-sleazy, or I’ll rack his cryin’ asshole up on one of them glorified butt-plugs befo’ he can holla fo his big ass daddy-o._ The horse blew a disgruntled snort and glared as well as he could with one big glassy eye at the well-muscled demi-god.  
“I think you offended him, Jason.” Hazel turned and pouted at her golden-hoofed companion. “Come on boy, I’ll get you some silver nuggets?”  
The horse’s eyes widened. _Oh dayum nigga, she offerin da shit!_  
He immediately strode forward and took a bite out of the metal. Percy braced himself for the scraping shift of iron edges moving forward, but nothing happened. It made sense that only the inside was touch sensitive – how else would this thing be transported?  
_Muthafuckin J-dawg, dis shit be spicy as a Mexican guitar string, an’ choo don’t wanna know how ripped ma ass was after snarkin’ down dat crap, whoo!_ Percy didn’t care to think why Arion would munch on a poor Mexican’s guitar strings, but being an immortal horse, who knows what he’d eaten?  
“It’s not growing!” Leo grinned as Arion spat a spike on the floor.  
_Don’t tell me ah was the first ta think that be what all them disappointed bitches say when they take an eyeful of yo dick, Flame On._  
“Arion...” Percy warned through a cough covering up his laugh. Zeus above, where had this horse been hanging out? If Hazel knew how her ride talked…  
_Jus’ sayin P-hoe,_ the horse chewed another section of the bars away pensively. _His ass was askin fo dat shit._

Soon enough there was a gap large enough walk through and a neat pile of razor-sharp metal barbs beside the enclosure. Good gods, that horse was a lifesaver! Percy wanted to kiss that snowy white fur, but he had a feeling that Arion would boot him to Hong Kong if he went for it. Straight from mythology, Percy knew of at least one instance that Poseidon had screwed a horse – as a horse, the other horse being Demeter (strange gods) - and didn’t care to appeal to those genes.  
“Aw thank the gods I have such an amazing, shining white steed, huh!?” Hazel grinned and pulled up a pile of silver.  
“We can never thank you enough, Arion.” Frank smiled awkwardly with the expression _I’m talking to a horse, what do I do?_ Jason reached out and scratched between the big creature’s ears.  
“I pray Jupiter blesses you from your golden hooves to your beautiful mane.”  
_Oh stop it, cho gonna make me go all weak and shit at the knees. Mmm, dayum guurl, this is DOPE!_ Arion nuzzled Hazel happily and scarfed down another few nuggets.  
“But now what?” Piper sighed and stretched, obviously relishing the space. “I mean, where do we need to go? Where are the giants based, and where is that treacherous bastard Nico? He’s been gone with Annabeth…”  
She trailed off and dropped her gaze to the floor.  
“We’re already too late, aren’t we?”  
“Not too late to kill the little creep.” Frank growled and rolled his shoulders. He looked like a bull ready to rampage. “Assuming we know where he is.”  
_Dawg, be yo even using tha shit between them ears of yours?_ Arion stamped his hoof on the rock, ricocheting a harsh echo around the cave. _Homie, them giants have that bling-ass motherfucka wit dem, you know, dat shit ma Ha-zizzle wiped clean outta Alaska? Ah can smell dat bitch a hundred miles away._  
“My bet’s on Mt Olympus.” Jason glanced at the horse and then at Percy. “Is he being helpful?”  
_Would dat hoe shut his pie-hole fo jus –_  
“Yes.” Percy cut off the snort and Hazel fed Arion another silver nugget. “He knows where they are, he can smell them.”  
“Then let’s go. We have no time to lose.” Leo paced towards the cave entrance, and Percy followed, keen for fresh air.  
Whoa! For a second, he almost tripped over... Nico’s sword? The long Stygian blade rested on the ground, sheathed on the studded leather belt the son of Hades always wore. Discarded beside it, Annabeth’s knife glinted dully. A squeeze of disappointment and longing gripped his stomach. Why had Nico done this? Why? They’d been so happy, so content…so ignorant. No, he couldn’t feel desire for Nico anymore, or regret. What that deceptive, lying bastard had promised to do to Annabeth was beyond deserving any pity. But some tiny corner of his heart still couldn’t believe it, and if they found Nico… one part of Percy hoped the others got to him first and took vengeance on the sick bastard. The other part hoped he got there before them to defend him, believe some good was left in that battered shell. That part was wrong. He shook his head. They would decide Nico’s fate if they survived the day. Ninety per-cent chance that he needn’t worry.  
_Yo P-nizzle, if yo wanna git revenge on Skeletor by havin’ me snack-a-lack on his nigga ass sword, ahm sorry, dat Stygian shit don’t half be hurl city fo’ a white-ass homie like me dawg._ The horse sounded remorseful as it followed Hazel into the blinding white light of mid-morning sun.  
“No worries.” Percy shrugged. Should he take the sword with him? No. Get a grip, Percy. The last thing you want is a memento of Nico to cry over. Leave it where it lies. Instead, he took the Drakon bone knife. Annabeth would want it when they got her back. And they were going to bring her back alive. He’d been taken in by Nico’s tricks and lies in the first place. It was his responsibility to fix it now and take care of her, no matter what that sick demi-god had done to her in the two hours that had passed.

After the gloom of the cave, the sky, sun and wind was heaven. Jason looked like a satyr munching on a particularly good can, face into the breeze, long golden hair rippling heroically.  
“I’m so ready to fly to the giants.” He grinned and clapped Percy on the shoulder. True, that Roman was good looking…but not Percy’s type. Too…blonde? Gods. He sighed inwardly. His lust was still pining for Nico. He’d get over that bastard, even though he still somehow couldn’t see that sensual, black-haired demigod as the enemy. “We’ll save the day, I promise.”  
_Does this racked-up plug-socket even listen to what ah be rappin?_ Percy sighed as a snort came from behind him. That horse was an attention whore sometimes, but only Percy really got the full ghetto force of his personality. _His slow ass won’t make that distance, an’ wit a glammed-out swag-wag like me, why the fuck wouldchoo hitch a glider-rider?_  
“Don’t worry Arion, of course you can take us!” Hazel petted his nose, obviously oblivious to Percy’s tolerant sigh.  
“Do we have a plan of attack once we get there?” Frank put his arm over his girlfriend’s shoulders. There was a moment of uneasy silence. Gods, they’d been so fixed on getting out of that cage alive, so distraught by Nico’s betrayal that they hadn’t even mentioned what they’d do when they came to fighting the giants. Percy really hadn’t thought it through. Usually he just rolled with it. Hopefully fate would protect them again.  
“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Jason smiled up at his fellow Roman. “We hero it. Take everything as it comes. There’s no time for planning, no time for organization. We react to a scenario when we get there.”  
He met Percy’s eyes and suddenly, he felt the leadership being subliminally shifted to him. He was the standing Greek hero, the luckiest, the one with the most lone-wolf training. No legions or centuries in Camp Half-Blood. True, stand-alone heroism didn’t conquer Empires. But today? What good were tortoise-shell formations against giants?  
“Let’s do it.”  
_Yo motherfuckas, I’m wit him, but choo ghetto-booty demi-gods ain’t all gonna fit on ma slim-dizzle ass, you pickin up what ahm puttin’ down? Three of yo mofos. Ha-zizzle, Dr Doolittle here and Flame On first._ The horse nodded and Percy translated. _Then ahll swing ma ass back fo Mr Spastic Toaster, Beauty Pageant and yo Royal ass, P-hoe, ye?_  
There were worse nicknames than Royal ass P-hoe, so Percy agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo guys I finally got to putting out this chapter (the hmtl was hell, but worth it!) :D


	15. Percy Goes Nuts

It didn’t even take the entirety of Badunkadunk to get from the cave to a plain outside Mt Olypmus. Percy hadn’t mentioned it to Hazel, but every time that horse ran, he rapped to his own hoofbeats like some speeding ghetto word machine. Though…the slope of the range wasn’t what Percy expected. The low-lying scrub was scorched and burned and great rents were torn in the ground. Huge glutinous pools of oil shimmered with a sickening sheen on the sparse grass while the air was dank with rancid burnt foliage.  
“Hey.” Leo waved weakly, scratched and a little sooty. Hazel and Frank sported a similar look beside him on the boulder they were sitting on. “You missed the party.”  
“What happened here?” Percy slid off Arion’s snowy fur, and suddenly felt a thrill of power hum through his body from where his feet touched the mountainside. Mmm….this was good. Like an ice-cold coke on a sweltering day. Wow…he wanted to fight, kill, spring into battle like a lion, a hero. Herakles had been here. Bellerophon, for all his misgivings, had been here. Achilles may have even set foot here. This was like the Hollywood star walk, Percy mused, except you could feel the marks these heroes had made in history swirling in the air. Felt good to be one of them.  
_Big-ass glitterskin motherfucker, dat’s what went down here, yo swag P-hoe._  
“Alcyoneus was guarding the, uh, door.” Frank frowned at a yawning opening in the ground. Great. Another cave. “I think it’s the door anyway. There’s just a tunnel that leads down.”  
“You killed him?” Jason gazed around the burned, oily mountainside. Here and there, a glittering gem poked out of the melted scrub ends.  
_Dat wacko chicken legs scooped off last time, Power Cable, but dis time ah ate that ratchet ass._  
“You what!?” Percy turned and looked at the horse incredulously. How much could Arion fit inside him? The last time Percy had seen Alcyoneus, that guy was bigger than a house.  
_Yo heard ma holla, son of P-Dizzle. Ah needed something to wash down yo chilli-sauce cage shit, and ah been droolin over dat pimped-out metal shindig since his ass re-spawned up in the sunshine._ The horse flicked his mane, probably the horse equivalent of a Z-snap. _Ma homie gurl Ha-zizzle, we close, but ah was not down fo lettin that struttin buffet moonwalk his way back to dirty T-dawg, nuh-uh. So ah ate him enTIREly._  
“Leo kinda melted his legs, while Frank distracted him and I sent the gems in his hair into the earth.” Hazel tickled Arion under the jaw. “Then this big lug kept taking bites out of him till he ate his heart. It was kinda gross really.”  
She pulled a face.  
_Gurl, ah do naht squeal when yo ass is eatin up dat KFC shit fried up in J-sizzle knows what funky ghetto scrapins. But choo know what, homie-bitch? Ahm pumpin with mo energy than Electrode over there, so ah gotta fly. Yo holla if yo need A-Rider, sweet nigga?_  
Hazel just rubbed his mane fondly and jumped as the horse turned and sped away. What a beast, was all Percy could think. What a slightly terrifying beast.  
“So I’m guessing…” Piper swallowed as Arion’s rapidly disappearing hoof-beats faded and eyed the entrance beside them. A spider-web of nerves, adrenaline and urgency rippled through Percy’s chest. He was ready to, as Arion would say, whoop some giant-ass booty. They needed to move quickly. It was still only morning but…the more time the better, right?

It was like every freaking cave. Dark. Suppressing. Really dark. Depressing. Extremely dark. Seriously, when they were done with questing, Percy was never going into a cave again. Especially small ones: He and the rest of the demigods, except for Hazel who was small enough to just be stooped, were almost bent double trying to manoeuvre the way through this rocky passage. How the giants had ever used this entrance, Percy’s brain hurt to think about. Or maybe this wasn’t the entrance and it was just some glorified caver tunnel and they were going to end up in an underground lake. Except that would have made him three times happier and Hazel completely wrong. Since Percy was pretty sure neither of these things were going to happen in the near future, he contented himself with glowering in the dark with steadily growing wrath – at Gaia, Nico, the giants, the gods and himself – while Hazel remained correct. For the moment. Meanwhile, every scene with Nico kept replaying itself in his head like the sunny flashbacks in a horror movie. The open, happy smile at the end of their first night together; the drunken giddy Nico on the Island of the Lotus Eaters; the sexy, dark Nico intent on giving him pleasure beyond his wildest dreams – or so he’d thought at the time. How could've all of that been in deceitful nature? How? It hurt his head, but only a sliver of his heart remained hopeful. The rest felt like a chunk of painfully cold ice creaking and groaning indifferently as a strained, old iceberg pulled this way and that by ever changing currents groans, in his chest.  
Suddenly, he noticed a light. It was only faint, a whisper caught on Hazel’s curls and Frank’s bulky shoulders, but that meant –  
“Shhh!” Hazel held up a hand, and they stopped, Percy almost uncomfortably close to Frank’s ass. Some asses – especially, it seemed, traitorous asses – were better than others. Gods, here he was, about to fight to his early, teenage death in a glorious battle against the ancient powers of a heroic time and he was still mooning over Nico’s sexy, nickel-bouncing ass.  
A low murmur echoed in front of them. Other voices, deep and unearthly joined in. Giants. Adrenaline fizzled through his muscles, and excitement charged over his self-annoyance, clearing his mind. He was fed up of worrying, fed up with the tension of waiting. Percy just seriously wanted to beat the sparkling Olympus out of something, black and white, simple glory. Ready.  
“Slowly.” Hazel mouthed and crept forward into the light, leading them into –  
Wow. He almost said it out loud. Ok, in his time with heroing around, he’d seen caves. A lot of caves. In fact, he was sick to the teeth of caves. But this…this was the mother of all caves. Drops of icy water fell at least a hundred metres through the vast openness of space, falling, falling until a gentle _plip-plip_ heralded their landing. Naturally hewn grey rock yawned above them in a geological dome, lit by torches. The light barely even touched the height of the ceiling. The ancient feeling of this place…it was awesome. And he didn’t mean that in the sense _aw man, that chick’s awesome!_ but in the _you are a puny mortal, insignificant to my age and power_ awesome.  
Hazel had led them out on to a platform that continued around the circumference of the rocky tomb, high above the calloused floor. Stalactites created a natural, toothy barrier between them and a break-your-neck-and-every-other-bone fall, still dripping with translucent water. Good. There was water around, as sure as there were giants around. Every muscle in his body screamed to stay away from the edge, to keep out of sight of the creatures that could turn him into an extra crispy McPercy burger, but the temptation was too alluring. He _had_ to…  
Gods. Oh gods.  
“Percy, what’s wrong?” Jason hissed beside him and then froze as he looked down too. In the floor was a horrid rift, as if a massive tiger-claw had ripped the rock away and it had filled up with oozing, churning peat, like blood clotting on a wound. Across the opening to the earth, a wicked, thick spider-leg of a pinnacle stretched out, finishing in the exact middle. The crude shape of it suggested that this was what the giants had been working on. But those were not the things that had him shocked into semi-paralysis. Firstly: there was no doubt that the rolling, spitting earth was Gaia’s core, open and exposed. Secondly, the cavern was filled with giants. Ten, at a head count. Clytius they’d killed as soon as he’d left the Doors of Death, and Alcyoneus had been chow for their buddy Arion. But still. There were seven – six – Half-Bloods. Against ten giants. Percy felt like a mouse in a roaring battle with a lion. How could they possibly defeat these creatures? Lastly…on the very end of the pinnacle, a figure knelt, black hair decorated with a sacrificial wreath of flowers, chest bare, hands and feet tied. Nico di Angelo. The son of Hades’ noble features were cold and determined. His eyes didn’t even seem to see the vast, beautiful space in front of him, but focussed on a point beyond sight. Behind him, far back at the base of the spire, Annabeth knelt and the sight shattered Percy’s heart. She was bound and gagged, curly blonde hair a mess, blood trickling from underneath the gag. She was dressed in a white shift, and a crown of blossoms, exactly the same as Nico’s, perched in her hair. The daughter of Athena looked barely conscious yet still bit at the gag and strained against the ropes on her wrists. Sometimes one of the giants would taunt her, laugh, but she kept her head held as high as she could. Gods, Percy had never seen a more inspiring sight. She was so brave.  
“There he is!” Leo whispered ferociously, eyes dark. “What do we do?”  
“Hazel!” Percy breathed and motioned for her to come over. “How do we get down?”  
“I don’t – “  
“Brethren!” A deep, booming voice reverberated around the cave’s freezing air, thundering out of every crevice and bouncing the word through the air. Beside Percy, Jason’s lip curled with disgust. “We begin our war not tomorrow, not in years to come, but TODAY!”  
A roar so deafening rang off the stone that Percy actually had to crouch and cover his ears. He peered through the gaps in the dripping rock, trying to pinpoint a connecting tunnel, a staircase…  
A massive giant strode into view, eyes white as those of a rotting fish, and a sickening collection of weapons clanked like discordant bells in his green hair. In the massive being’s hands, two silver knives glinted cruelly. Percy swallowed. Okay, the room, the giants, the fissure to Gaia all gave him the shivers. But those knives? He felt ready to hurl just looking at them. The giant shrank and strutted out onto the finger of rock to kneel behind Nico, knives on either side of his throat. Oh gods. Oh no. Nico had done awful things, betrayal, even sexually abusing Annabeth…but he didn’t deserve this. Percy’s chest throbbed and his throat closed in wretched anxiety. No. Nononono. They had to save him.  
“Hazel, now!” He hissed, aware of the urgent fervour in his voice. “Find a way!”  
“I can’t – “  
“Do it!” He almost broke out of a hushed whisper. No. Percy could feel Frank staring at him like he was a lunatic. Well by all Olympus, he felt crazy. He’d go crazy if he lost Nico, traitor or no. Didn’t know why. Something desperately gnawed at the edge of his mind, whining at him not to leave it too late. He’d cared for that boy since he’d dragged his young, excited ass to Camp-Halfblood in Apollo’s ride. That innocent boy a life-time ago. He’d watched the son of Hades go through so much sadness, heartbreak, anger and now…this was never the end he’d seen for Nico. As a treacherous liar, pledged to the destruction of the world. It wasn’t… there was something…something they were missing!  
“Jason…” He turned to the son of Jupiter, voice hoarse. He could fly down, pick Nico up, they could punish him at either camp… but those blue eyes were cold with only a hint of sorrow.  
“I’m sorry.” Those words thundered through Percy’s brain. They were going to let the giants kill Nico and then save Annabeth. Gods no. Why – felt like he was going to burst into tears, holding his breath, trying not to gasp. His throat closed and he almost gagged on his own desperate need for air. No. No, he wouldn’t let them!  
“Percy Jackson!” What? The rest of the demi-gods stared at him with shock as the giant-king called his name. How…? But when he looked through the bars of stalactite, no leering faces were turned in their direction. Porphyrion was talking to Nico. What? “You give your life as a willing sacrifice to Gaia?”  
“I do.” The son of Hades’ voice rang clear and confident through the cave. The giants thought Nico was him? A wave of confusion and terror for his lover swept through his muscles and adrenaline made him dizzy. Without a second glance, Percy ran along the pathway, checking the stalactites for a gap large enough, heart like an inevitable, quickening count-down timer …  
“Awaken Mother!” He hardly heard the roar from the giant as he found what he was looking for. Gods, he’d never felt like this before, this mad, crazed, angry, like roaring a challenge to all ten of the giants. He needed Nico alive. He didn’t know why. Every piece of evidence clawed and screamed at him that this was Nico’s choice, Nico was evil. But his heart thudded in an opposing, frantic rhythm.  
“Take this blood as a sacrifice!” The giants pounded their spears on the ground and roared in agreement. Percy tensed, about to jump –  
Suddenly, Nico glanced up. Those yellow eyes met his directly, and in that single fleeting second, they weren’t cold and harsh. The open warmth, that happiness Percy had only ever seen once shone, filling him up with heat –  
A horrible meaty ripping sound echoed through the cave. As if in slow motion, Percy saw the knives come away from that pretty throat drenched in gore. A choked, glottal sound left Nico’s body and blood spurted out of his neck and mouth, spraying down his bare chest. His shoulders jerked hideously as if the hands bound behind his back were trying to instinctively grab for the wound, but he couldn’t move. The son of Hades almost pitched forward, spewing crimson, shuddering and retching in agony, trying to breathe in an unbearable, panicked, gurgling wheeze through a severed trachea. A bloody hank of flesh hung from his throat, but still his eyes didn’t go blank – his young heart was still trying to keep him alive. Then the knives tore his jugular wide open. Porphyrion grasped Nico’s corpse by the legs and held him over the pit, pouring his life-blood into the churning mud from the meaty, gruesome opening in his neck. His head only hung limp from his body by a tattered spinal cord, like a dangling, battered container-lid warped beyond closing. Blood, too much blood, clotted and black gushed into Gaia.  
No. NO! Percy couldn’t breathe. He was shaking. The giants roared approval. Anger, gut-wrenching grief. The dense smell of blood – his lover’s blood – filled his head. Imagining that warm, vigorous body empty and cold…Breathing too fast now. Sick. Fury. The stone he clutched crumbled beneath his fingers.  
“Percy?” Flinched at Jason’s touch. No. Nonono. Behind him Frank had covered Hazel’s eyes, holding her against his chest. Turned back. World glazed in red. Nico was dead. Nico was dead.  
“The first lifeblood had been given.” Recognized that lilting, soft voice. A female form rose out of the mud, drawing the blood – Nico’s blood – into her core. Gaia. Kill. Revenge. Nico was dead. “The second – “  
She stopped. Percy couldn’t move. Skin shook. Stomach contracted. Kill. KILL. Nico was dead. Suddenly black lines spread over Gaia’s molten-dirt face like a poisonous spider-web, plunging down, drying the earth she was made of, cracking it. A horrendous scream echoed in Percy’s ears, as if the ground itself was on fire. Nico hadn’t screamed. Nico was dead. Red. Scenes played in front of his blurred eyes. Achilles stared in disbelief at lifeless Patroklus. Bloodlust turned his lip up into a snarl as he searched for Hector. Alexander flung himself on Hephaestion’s body. A whole town dead, blood running like rivers. His doctor crucified. Aeneas, the Trojan, lifted lifeless Pallas, tears streaking his cheeks. Plunged a blade into Turnus. No mercy, no Roman clementia. Blood. Something. An ancient rage.  
Wrath burned through his bones. White hot. Madness boiled under his skin. Without a second thought, Percy drew his sword. He could hear his heart in a steady, strangely calm thud. Breathing. Felt like fire was scorching behind his eyes, through his brain. Could hear a vague noise from someone he knew. Felt a weakling grab his shoulder. Nico was dead. There was no life for him now. Only madness. There was nothing but vengeance. They would die. They would all die. Nico was dead. Hadn’t even noticed the tears.

Then he bellowed a battle-cry.  
Water exploded from the walls, all the walls.  
He leapt from the gangway, Riptide a glinting bronze brand in the torchlight.  
Glory. Vengeance. Death in battle.  
The scream grew louder in his ears, shrieking. Good.  
He flew towards the head of the nearest giant.  
A blindingly intense white light crackled down from the ceiling. So loud.  
Rock fell.  
Uncontrollable screeching now.  
He was Percy Jackson, Hero of Camp Half-Blood, son of Poseidon, Lord of the Sea. His Nico was dead. He was going to kill them all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI, Badunkadunk is a hilarious rap song and I suggest you listen to it. c:  
> So, what do you guys think of Arion? c:  
> Also, if you want to read part of this chapter from Nico's POV, go back to chapter 8.  
> One other thing - was it just me, or did Annabeth's character become seriously weak and kind of annoying in the House of Hades books? Food for thought. Just my opinion.  
> Thank you for reading so far, all your comments are awesome! x)


	16. Hades Shoves His Hand Somewhere It Should Never Have Gone

16.

Lightning. Water. Rock. He didn’t even care. Sun streamed in from up above, highlighting his targets. Percy slammed into the giant. One slice. Head rolled. A blast from…Some god. Some god with a snakes on his staff. Turned the giant to dust. Good. Nine to go. Out of his peripheral vision, a giant eagle swooped. A vague thought of ‘there goes Frank’ floated aimlessly and then burned up in the rage. He felt strong. Vengeance. Death. There was something old and powerful here at work. And to all Hades, if the wrath would get him Porphyrion’s head on a pike, it was welcome.  
Water. He wanted water all around him, to wreath himself in its foaming torrents. The freezing liquid was him. He could feel it, all his anger and rage, all his hate, his love. Water knew these.  
“Percy!” A vague voice, muted as if he were drowning. Almost incoherent words – giant! Without a second thought, he charged, a rough roar guttural in his throat. His Nico was dead. They would pay. With their lives, all their lives. That moment kept flashing over his vision again and again and again and again. That tiny flare of Nico’s eyes as the knives cut him open… and blood. So much blood.  
This enemy. He recognized it. A giant twin. They’d held Nico. They’d tortured Nico. Starved him. Hurt him.  
“RAAARGH!” Percy yelled. Eyes burned. No quick death. The giant laughed. A collar of water curled up its neck and into its ears. Heard the eardrums erupt. Fuck it. Raised a hand. Every fluid in that creatures body responded to his will, his red ire. The giant rose off the ground screaming as every capillary and vein popped. A horrible greenish-gold spread across its skin. Grisly crunch as its eyes burst in a spatter of black. Rivers of blood pumped in its mouth shooting its teeth out one by one. Die. Die! Death, agony, red. Felt a slight, numb pain on his arm. Giant twin in front of him. Something else behind him. Someone he recognized, a rounder face, something he associated with Hawaiian t-shirts appeared on top of his previous victim. Fine. He had another one to face.  
“DIE WORM!” Caught the second giant twin's sword on his. Didn’t even think. He’d done that with Nico, back at their make-shift camp. Felt like white-hot lava was thundering behind his eyes. “YOU – “  
Chopped its hand off. “FUCKING – “ Slammed a tidal-wave on top of the creature, pinning it. “WEAK – “ Sliced off its legs. “SCUM!”  
“You’re Percy Jackson?!” The thing squealed, and a look of horror flashed across its face as it shuddered, wretched and bleeding on the ground.  
“I AM PERCY JACKSON!” He roared, not to this pathetic, snivelling thing, but to all of them. “AND I WILL KILL YOU ALL!”  
The water boiled. Didn’t even know how – two more giants over there. Had heard his challenge. Good. KILL. KILL! Something red was dripped from his arm. Nose. Why should he care. Death was the only way now –  
The ground dropped away beneath him. What? WHAT? On the cave floor a god with flaming hammers smashed down on his crawling, mutilated giant. THAT KILL WAS HIS!! HIS NICO HAD SUFFERED HE WOULD SLAUGHTER EACH AND EVERY ONE!!  
“RAAARGGH!” Ripped his arm away from whatever – whoever – was carrying him. Sliced upwards. Grunt of pain. He would kill whoever DARED touch him!  
“Percy, its Jason, Percy please!” Words reverberated meaninglessly around his head. “You’re not right!”  
“GET OFF ME!” Down below was an orgy of carnage and violence. Had to get back. Had to join. KILL. Lightning bolts shattered the shields of giants from that hole blasted in the ceiling of the cavern. A trail of fire followed one god’s smouldering hammers, and beside him a smaller figure, hands burning, fought. NO! THEY WERE TAKING HIS REVENGE AWAY! Another with torches, a red, bloody chariot sporting a warrior, a wall of water sucking a giant under, a golden-haired god on winged sandals flitting here and there. NO! _HE_ WAS MEANT TO KILL THEM! Panted. Couldn’t breathe, heart rang like a lonely tolling bell. Alone. Nico was dead.  
“AARGH!” Percy kicked back, punched, bit what was holding him, but Jason clung on, even though the man’s blood spattered down his skin and stung in an iron tang on his tongue. Nico had bled. Nico’s blood was gone. He was dead.  
“Percy – “ Jason gasped – had blood. Had liquid. The red hot surge of anger pounded through his body as he yanked all those cells toward the ground. Jason’s turn to scream. Shouldn’t have tried to save him. Didn’t want saving. Didn’t need saving. There was no pain when he hit the ground. Only –  
Heart stopped. Froze in place, on one knee. Oh gods. Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods. Hands shook on his sword as he looked. Nico’s body lay twisted beside the cavern wall, head grossly crooked, facing the wrong direction, drenched in rivets of gore. Mouth and teeth crimson. Looked like he’d been skinned from the neck up, just all the red, the blood – oh gods, his throat….Took a breath. Had forgotten how. It looked like a dog had messily ripped it open. Hands still tied, like his feet. Looked as if a leg was broken from being tossed like a used ragdoll away from the pit. Eyes were closed, but every once-pretty eyelash was clotted with blood.  
Couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see. Gods. He put his hand over his mouth to stop him retching in agony. The giants may as well have cut his heart out.  
“So Percy – if you’re the real deal this time…” Those white eyes. He knew those – HE DID IT! The wrath inside Percy screamed. HE KILLED NICO! KILL KILL KILL KILL! Tried to get up, but some force held him on his knees.  
“I’LL KILL YOU, PORPHYRION!” He screamed. The red. The red washed over his sight, his brain like churning hot water.  
“Aw, did I kill one of your little friends?” The green-haired giant leered, and Percy writhed within himself…water, where was water, he’d hurt this creature so much – “Y’know, I really wish it had been you. Thrown a little dint in our plans, that dirty, poisonous Kthonic child. But Gaia lives. We’ll disappear for a hundred years and come back even stronger…except this time, we’ll double check our little blood-stock.”  
“YOU BASTARD, I’LL HUNT YOU DOWN WITH EVERY BREATH – “  
Suddenly, the invisible power snapped his tongue to the roof of his mouth. Felt like the anger was going to explode. Like he was going to become a creature of pure rage, the flesh being too weak to contain such ire.  
“I’m bored of treacherous little demi-gods and their promises.” Porphyrion’s eyes flitted to the battle field across the pit. The army of the giants had turned up. Demons, two drakons, harpies, so many monsters… Hermes was pinned down by two colossal giants while Apollo desperately fired arrow after blinding white arrow to save his little brother. Monsters lay in a ring around him, but still more came. Hestia and an out of place Aphrodite fought back to back, Piper with them. Golden ichor spattered the ground. Ares galloped around the pitch, chaotic violence, while always water pulled enemies under. Seven giants and an army against all Olympian gods. They _would_ win. They had to win….Even against an army… Couldn’t think. Mind swirled with hate. Looked straight up into those blank, milky eyes.  
“Now, Percy Jackson, I guess you’ll see you friend again.” The giant’s lip curled in a sneer – was that Jason? Crawling along the ground, mouth and eyes bleeding, sword in hand beside that ugly chicken foot. The invisible force tightened around his body. No. NO! Not without revenge! “AARGH!”  
Free. He was free!  
“Pin the other foot.” Jason croaked and a dribble of blood slid down his chin. A horrible purple dapple laced across his arm. Fine. Then he’d drown this motherfucker.  
“AAARGH!” Porphyrion hissed as Riptide pinned his other foot to the ground. The giant swiped. He dodged. Didn’t even see Jason collapse. The ugly bastard was trapped between him and Nico’s body. Death. Death and glory.  
Then the rock wall shifted. A shadow moved. Suddenly white bones emerged from the ground. For one horrible, gut-wrenching second, Percy glanced at Nico, hope a flare combatting the wrath within. But that beautiful body still lay mangled, still against the rock. Then more bones, all over the cave, hundreds, thousands –  
CRACKKK!  
Hardly felt anything cut him. Knew it had. Couldn’t have avoided it. The rock wall had exploded, showering everything in close proximity with shrapnel. Smoke, something awful…then the rage inside his head fled. Something horrible was coming. Made his gut turn, his hands shake. Oh gods, had he killed Jason? Oh gods, he almost screamed there was so much pain. Ribs felt broken, face felt cut and torn, drained like a desert pool. He was burned, there was a gash so deep in his arm that he could see the bone…started gasping like a drowning child, skin quivering. This thing was going to kill them all.  
It had red eyes, glowing like coals. Even Porphyrion whimpered. Black metal formed its sharp, cruel face, jagged white sabres mimicked a sick pretence of teeth. Everything was sharp, its body made of shadows spouted wickedly jagged edges. It seemed to fill up the entire cave, floor to ceiling. The giant cowered, tried to move, but Jason’s sword and Riptide kept him firmly held. Oh gods…  
“My son.” Darkness, death, waves of hate….He wanted to curl up and die. Succumb to the power. It was death. “YOU KILLED MY SON!”  
The whole battlefield went silent, and suddenly the towering demon was gone. A heavy metal helmet clanged dully on the ground, the sick vibe of fear still washing off it in horrid palpitations. Hades’ face was contorted in rage and his whole body shook with anger in that wicked black armour. Those mad eyes glanced down at his mangled child, burning. Purple power pulsed off his form. Percy realized he’d never really seen Hades angry. Not even close. Compared to this, his encounters had just been annoyance.  
“Why should you care?” The giant bent to pull out Jason’s sword, but the Hades’ weapon flashed and suddenly Porphyrion was gasping and clutching at the stump of his arm.  
“Move and you lose another limb.” The Lord of the Underworld snarled and caught the creature by the jaw. Why _should_ he care, though? He was the King of the Dead. Saw death every day, hundreds and hundreds of times. Percy blinked and then…oh. He saw it. Hades had never had children in the myths. Only recently had he actually branched out…and it sounded like his kids previous to Nico had been mad, power-hungry and a disgrace. Killing even though their father didn’t want or need any souls more in his realm. And then Nico and Bianca had shown up. He’d loved their mother, found comfort from the hate and discrimination with her. Bianca had reminded him of her so much…then she’d died. Hades’ favourite. One left, one he had taught, who had stood up to him, who he might have actually learned to love, despite knowing the inevitable end of all mortals. Hades’ his eyes snapped away from his dead son to the giant: The expression of a being with little or nothing to lose. No more second chances. Enough.  
“You can’t kill me, Hades.” The giant sneered. “Where’s your demi-god help?”  
“Jupiter. Poseidon.” The god’s lip curled as he tapped the two swords in the giant’s feet with his own blade. “This is for my son.”  
WHAM!  
For a second, Percy thought the god had punched Porphyrion in the stomach. Then he realized Hades’ bare hand was _in_ his torso. A sick, intrigued look crossed the Lord of the Underworld’s face, like a cat batting an exhausted mouse.  
“I’ve never tried this with a giant before.” A sadistic, black smile crawled up over his face and suddenly Percy felt horribly cold. He looked back at the battlefield. Hades’ skeletons and the one or two of the gods were finishing off the army, but the giants were gone. They’d won. He should feel good about that, yet there was nothing but hollow emptiness. The gods were all watching Hades. Yet not with a look of triumph or goading. Fear. Incredulity. Turned back. Something golden gathered around Hades’ hand. His eyes glowed a sick yellow as they danced madly over the huge giant’s body.  
“Come on, it’s not so bad.” He sang softly, like a crazy man sings to his pet potato. “Give me your essence.”  
“What – what’re you – “ Suddenly the giant gagged. Retched. Writhed and squirmed around Hades’ forearm. His remaining hand clawed at Hades’ wrist, but the god seemed to enjoy the pain, grinning even more broadly. Points of light shone on each part of the being’s body and slowly travelled down, through its veins.  
“Ahhh! Ahhhrrgh! AHHHH!” Porphyrion screamed, lurching, pinned to the floor by the swords.  
The great King of Giants dropped to his knees juddering, vomit foaming from his mouth, his stump of an arm twitching like the death throes of a newly slain body. “Stop! STOP! PLEASE!”  
He spluttered, and then all the points met in the middle. The colour drained from his skin, leaving him as white and pale as a bloodless corpse. He was still breathing, dead eyes still moving, fixated on the spinning gold particles in Hades’ hand.  
“See, that wasn’t so hard.” A cruel glint reflected off Hades’ feline eyes, and a long, black talon sprouted from his finger, impaling a particle. The giant king screamed and screamed, howled like his throat would burst. The Lord of the Dead produced a small jar from his pocket and tipped the glowing stuff in. Gods…from the looks on his family’s faces, that wasn’t natural. He shouldn’t be able to do that. Made Percy feel sick, even sorry…caught another glance of Nico’s body, and suddenly the heat began to fizz at the back of his mind again. No. This giant deserved everything, every torture and excruciating pain in the universe. Death. Nico was dead.  
“Do what you like to the shell, Percy. He’s mortal now.” The wrath that had been chased away by Hades’ Helmet of Darkness simmered, numbed his pain for a little longer.  
For once, he smiled up at that pale, shadowed face, that god that disliked him so much, and the King of the Underworld smiled back, a cold, hungry smile. Good. Hades was going to hurt Porphyrion and hurt him bad. But Percy could finally have revenge.  
“Don’t worry, Hades.” Grinned as the god swirled into non-existence. A skeleton handed him a sword, then crumbled. Good. Death. Felt every eye on him except the only eyes he cared about. They stared blankly at bloodless lids in an empty shell.  
“I’m-m-m P-Porph-ph-phyrion…” The giant king mumbled, opening and closing his remaining hand, staring at it as if it were numb. Those eyes turned toward him, and even though they were blank and milky, they begged. Nico hadn’t begged for his life. The image of Nico’s determined expression, his strong jaw fixed as he stared into oblivion passed over Percy’s eyes. His Nico was dead. “I’m-m im-m-m-mortal. Tell me I’m immortal!”  
“You killed the wrong demigod, motherfucker.” Then Percy jumped from the boulder he stood on. One slash and that weapon-laden head rolled off those great shoulders and fell with a sickening crunch into the pit. No earth rose up to absorb it. No screech from Gaia. A black, burned-out hole yawned where there had once been moving earth, Mother Earth’s heart. No blood spurted from the neck. It was like he’d just decapitated a meat corpse.  
“YEEEAH! WE WON Y’ALL! WHOOO!” Ares’ yell seemed to snap the other gods back to their senses, but Percy barely heard it. Revenge hadn’t brought Nico back. There was still a gaping hollow emptiness. Felt sick. The anger, now sated, just left him with the cold dread of facing reality. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Piper run to Jason’s prone form covered in stone shards and an inch from being crushed by the giant’s body. He was breathing. He’d be ok. Percy staggered to his feet, toward Nico’s body now that nothing stood in the way. Ribs creaked, broken. His right arm was drenched in blood. Shrapnel of rock stuck in his skin and every limb felt dead, void of all energy. This wasn’t the way it was meant to go. He was meant to die. Meant to join his lover in a blaze of heroic glory.  
“Nico…” Percy croaked, and pushed back those long black strands of hair away from Nico’s blood drenched face. Fingers came away red. An iron vice clenched around his heart, and Percy gasped for breath. “I’m so sorry. I’m-m so sorry!”  
Tears finally got the better of him, but somehow shock kept him from breaking down completely. With as much gentleness as he could, he sliced away the ropes holding Nico’s hands and feet. Then he scooped his arm underneath the crook of the son of Hades’ knees and under his bare shoulders, leaning that horribly angled head on his shoulder so it didn’t rip off completely. Gods…never in a million years could he have seen this. Never in a million nightmares could he have imagined this. The innocent boy, that miserable lonely teen, his gorgeous man a broken, used husk. If there was one last thing he could do for his lover, it was carry his body out of this rank pit and give him all the honours his death deserved. The blood on Nico’s chest thinned and ran with his tears.  
“Percy…” He knew that voice. Annabeth touched his uninjured arm, battered and bruised. In that moment, in her white shift with her hair loose, she looked like an angel. “Shhhh…”  
She just wrapped her arms around his shoulders as they stood in the cave of blood, ichor, dust and fire. Just held him, like the friend she’d once been. That painful familiarity was comforting. Gods, he needed comfort for once, _he_ needed it. So Percy did the only thing that seemed right: leaned into her hair and clung to his dead lover’s body. Felt so cold.  
“Nico, NICO!” Hazel suddenly shrieked, but Frank still held her back, the two last fingers on his right hand only bleeding stumps. There was a wide gash across his chest and an arrow stuck out of the side of his knee. Leo hardly seemed better: bite marks from vampire-women covered his arms and his hair was nearly singed off from drakon-fire. It looked like he’d spat out at least three of his teeth. Both men were staring at Percy as if he were a time bomb. Almost afraid.  
“Oh gods, Nico…” Frank was finally unable to hold the daughter of Pluto, even though she was bleeding from a dagger embedded in her thigh, and Percy watched, like an observer from a distant place, as she staggered forward, grasped her brother’s limp, hanging hand and cried into his gore-covered chest, back heaving. Percy could feel her shuddering sobs through the dead body he held. He couldn’t recognize emotion anymore. The world was numb. Annabeth’s body was a wall of heat and strength to lean on, and that was all keeping him standing.  
“Gods…” Piper and Jason finally joined them. Jason looked half-conscious, eyes listing, a horrible gash across his collarbone that Percy realized, with a sickening jolt, was from his own sword. Chunks were taken out of his arm from human teeth… his teeth. Percy remembered that frenzied fury, the biting and clawing, the blood-control…and here he, Percy, was collapsing. He’d almost killed them all by his recklessness. Nico, somehow, had been the hero here. Jason and the others were the heroes. He…he was just…he didn’t even know any more.  
“I think you’ve all had enough of this cave, hmm?” Hermes’ golden hair and bronze skin shone like an Olympic torch in the dank cavern, even though the harsh light of day threw the rock into high relief. They were too tired to nod. Too beaten, bleeding and torn, inside and out to respond, but the god must have taken their gaunt expressions as a ‘yes’. Percy agreed. He wanted to go. Leave. Stick to his promise of never, and he meant _never_ setting foot in a cave again. Then the world shimmered and a beautiful beach appeared.  
  
Glowing golden sands buzzed with heat in the setting sun, blending perfectly into the grassy bank they stood on. The gentle slap of mirror-like aquamarine-and-orange water burrowed into Percy’s frozen mind like a bunny trying to nuzzle comfort into its mother. Salt air, sea breeze played around his face in a warm caress, and suddenly…he didn’t care about being treated for his injuries with nectar and ambrosia. The agonizing grief that the blunt pain of the battlefield had curbed now rushed back in one razor sharp tide.  
“Sorry, I need to –“ The words caught in his throat. Didn’t look at his companions. Laid Nico gently on the green grass, the ugly red hole in his neck a horrendous scar on the gentle landscape. Then Percy ran – ran into the waves before anyone could stop him, and before he was even submerged, the tears came, so many tears. And after the almost end of the world, the rise of Gaia and the fulfilment of the Prophecy of Seven, the son of Poseidon curled up beneath the waves of Greece and cried and cried and cried.


	17. Achilles Really Isn't a Good Role Model

17.

Didn’t count the hours or perhaps even days it took till he washed back up on the shore. Was morning, though. The sun danced, perky and happy in the far east. Well Apollo probably had reason to be happy. Ugh. He just lay there in the sloppy, wet sand. Felt hollow. As if his guts had been carved out.  
“Hey there Seaweed Brain.” Annabeth. Didn’t even look up. Just lay, inhaling grit. “You look like a human starfish, all ready to dry up. I would say you were a beached whale, but you’d need to put on a few more pounds.”  
“Only a few?” Percy mumbled into a dune. If there were any tears left in his body, he may have shed one of gratitude – she was trying to cheer him up, he hoped.  
“One or two doughnuts should do the trick.” Heard the sharp squish of sand as she walked over. “The others are really worried. I told them Poseidon wanted to congratulate you. Everyone except Jason, I think, believed me.”  
“Why are you being so kind?” Percy finally raised his chin out of the goop, leaving a face-shaped hole in the beach. She had nothing to thank him for. He’d cheated on her, let Nico kidnap her, completely forgotten to save her when she was tied up in the cave – oh gods, he was such an idiot! “Wait, are you ok?”  
He laboriously pushed himself up and the bones in his arms creaked in protest. Well at least the sea had mended his wounds. “Nico didn’t – “  
“Nico didn’t do anything to me.” The daughter of Athena was perched on a sea-worn boulder, back in her jeans and Camp Half-Blood shirt. “Everyone has asked a hundred times.”  
She shrugged and Percy felt another sting of pain through his gut. Why would Nico insinuate he’d rape her then? “I woke up, feet tied, with a bit of a headache, I must admit, but no unnatural pain or blood in the nether regions. Nico threw me that white dress and told me if I wanted to survive, I’d wear it. At first I refused, but he just said he’d get his skeletons to do it if I continued. Didn’t even watch me undress.”  
“Oh.” Percy swallowed, confused. Why would Nico want them to hate him, even want to kill him before he left? Everything…gods it was a horrible blur of heart-break, shock, madness and violence. Annabeth seemed so measured and calm beside him, for everything she’d been through.  
“And I’m being nice to you, Percy, because I recognize the Wrath of Achilles when I see it.” She leaned forward as he sat up, eyes worried.  
“The what?” The red. That horrible screaming lust for revenge, he betted, but didn’t really want to think about it. Couldn’t imagine his current weak and dishevelled self doing anything like that.  
Annabeth shrugged matter-of-factly. “You basically went mad because your man-lover died – sorry.”  
“None – um, right.” Nico was still dead. He’d cried for gods-knew-how-long and nothing had changed outside his literal bubble in the sea.  
“Achilles went mad after Patroklus died and the trend often picks up through history – Alexander the Great, who was related to Achilles through Olympias went mad for a while after Hephaestion died.” She put a gentle hand on his shoulder, but Percy barely felt the warmth. He knew it. All of it. He’d seen their pain right in front of his eyes as his Nico bled to death. “The only worrying thing is, that most – well all – of those affected by the Wrath of Achilles die of their madness pretty soon after their lover goes. Please don’t join them.”  
“Why not?” Suddenly Percy felt cold, voice hoarse. He hadn’t done enough. He hadn’t died in glory to join Nico wherever that son of Hades had gone. He was a disgrace.  
“Because as stupid as you may be, other people do care about you, you know.” Annabeth’s eyes dropped to the muddy sand, still sporting an indent of Percy. “You may have, um, done me wrong, but you looked so h-happy with Nico and…”  
She took a steadying breath. “I can never be that.”  
The openness of her answer took Percy by surprise.  
“But you were right on the boat. We are friends, right?”  
Suddenly a tiny prick of warmth chipped into the glacier inside him, and he reached up and hugged that brilliant woman.“Yeah. Of course, of course we are.”  
“Good.” Annabeth hugged him back, still a little stiff, still a lining of regret, but a hug none the same. They could work this out. He hadn’t lost her after all. “Ugh, now get off me before you cover me in sand.”  
“Right.” He managed a half smile and pulled away. Percy knew it didn’t reach his eyes. It would take a while for time to fill up the aching pit in his heart.  
“Um, bear with the others.” Annabeth shot him a quick glance. “I didn’t tell them about the Achillles Wrath thing. They basically think you just went nuts.”  
“Did it really look…” He couldn’t even imagine himself doing what he remembered. Jumping from the walkway. Torturing those giants.  
“You attacked the giants all by yourself. Then bit chunks out of Jason’s arm.” She raised her eyebrows and offered her hand to pull him up. “I know it wasn’t really you, but it looked like you were on bath salts or something.”  
“Uuh, thanks, I guess.” He took it. Wobbled slightly, trying to find his land-legs. They could treat him however they liked for all he cared. Percy felt like his emotions had reached a nullity. No pain. No happiness. Just…nothing.

Back a little from the beach stood one or two basking palm trees. The ground underfoot was carpeted in lush green grass. He had no idea where in Greece they were. Even when he’d jumped in the sea, the innate knowledge of co-ordinates had failed, or he just hadn’t cared. Nothing really mattered anyway. The others had built a fire and there were supplies lying around. Percy’s eyes swept over the food and water like they were invisible. No, he couldn’t eat, even though his stomach growled desperately to get his attention. He’d throw up.  
“H – “ His voice came out broken and he tried again. “How long was I gone?”  
“A day and a night.” Even though they weren’t going out anymore, Annabeth still took him by the hand. Percy let her lead him wherever she wanted to go. Hazel and Piper were lying in the sun, talking. Jason was sleeping in the shade of a palm and Leo was tinkering beside his friend.  
“Trust me to get an arrow to the knee – oh…” Frank immediately lowered his eyes when he saw Percy and dropped the deer he was carrying with his uninjured arm. Percy vaguely registered it hadn’t been shot, but the back of its skull was bloody and crushed. Like a big cat had killed it. “Uh, hey Percy.”  
“Hey.” He tried not to sound hollow, but Frank still gave a little apologetic smile and then turned to Leo.  
“Wanna help me dice this?” The son of Hephaestus shot a little nod at Percy then glanced at Jason.  
“Ye-“  
“Actually, now we’re all here, there’s something I want to figure out.” Annabeth promptly sat down and beckoned for the others to join.  
“Percy!” Hazel ran over. Before Percy realized what was happening, a hug knocked the breath from him. She looked awful, eyes red and swollen, curly black hair a tangled mess. Well he couldn’t look a sight better. He’d been pickling in the ocean for 24 hours.  
“You ok?” He mumbled. A mannerism. The answer was pretty obvious.  
“No, but you know…” Her lip trembled and she patted his arm, eyes welling. “It’ll get better. I-I’ve got Piper an-d-d Frank.”  
Frank, who was eyeing him like a hawk on a nest. No, he wasn’t going to eat Hazel.  
“Yeah, you do.” He had…an old friend who was still a little stung. A daughter of Pluto who could never replace her brother. And a bunch of people he’d only known for a month or so, who were now looking at him like he was Hannibal Lector.  
“And you can always talk to me if…” Percy nodded as she trailed off.  
“Of course.”  
“Somebody wake up Jason.” Annabeth rolled her eyes. “Thought he’d be happy, what with the breeze all around and everything.”  
Piper sighed and shook her boyfriend. Suddenly Percy noticed the figure beside the second palm tree with a jolt. Well, body shrouded in a white cloth stained with red. Nico. That faceless corpse was…felt like a lump of tar was stuck in his throat. Quickly looked away.  
“What is it?” Jason yawned blearily and then caught sight of Percy. He didn’t look angry or even afraid. In fact the look he gave Percy just said _‘I hope you’re ok.’_ Percy managed a small smile in return.  
“When Nico kidnapped me, he waved his hand in front of my eyes, and it’s been bothering me since.” Annabeth frowned. “He’d written ‘Left Pocket’ on it, and till we got out of that cave, I couldn’t think of what it could be. Now though…”  
She glanced at the shrouded body. “I think I know, I just wanted to make sure everyone’s ok with it.”  
“What, what is it?” Leo’s gaze flitted from her to the bloody form in the shade, a hint of distaste in his eyes. Even now, Leo hadn’t forgiven Nico. Leo had never liked Nico. Percy blinked. Once he’d have gotten angry or aggressive and defensive about it. Now he just looked from Annabeth to Leo bleakly.  
“I think he meant to check his pocket when he was dead. I think he planned this.”  
“Are you crazy?” Jason coughed. He didn’t look well, but after what Percy had done to his cells, it wasn’t surprising. “Who would plan to die like that?”  
“Do it.” Hazel clenched her jaw. Out of everyone, himself excluded, she seemed the most affected. Everyone else seemed…well, Piper seemed sad, maybe for Nico, maybe for Hazel. Jason just looked like a zombie. Frank and Leo didn’t seem too torn up, and Annabeth was as hard to read as always. The leader as always. Someone with a brain had to stay sensible, Percy supposed.  
“Right.” The daughter of Athena stood, paced over to the corpse in the shade and gently lifted the sheet off the legs. A tired ache throbbed dully in Percy’s chest as he caught a glimpse of those familiar jeans and the memory of that hard, muscular body they hid. Hurt like the blade of a self-harmer, cutting on the same spot they’d cut a thousand times to try and ineffectually relieve their trouble. Soon they’d burn him. Gone for good.  
An uneasy silence fell over the group as Annabeth searched. Looked like they’d tried not to acknowledge the body at the back of their camp. They wanted to forget. No. No matter what, Nico would be remembered. Should be remembered.  
“What have we here?” Annabeth murmured to herself rather than to everyone else.  
“What is it, what?” Hazel almost stood, but the daughter of Athena quickly wiped flakes of dried blood from the jeans off her hands and slid back into the makeshift circle, brows knitted in confusion.  
“A leaf.” Sure enough, Annabeth held up a waxy, green oak leaf, green and gold. Wait…  
“What’s that.” Percy croaked. “There.”  
Annabeth flipped the leaf, and suddenly, her eyes widened. “It’s a prophecy! Listen: ‘ _Dark blood will poison the land, a prophecy fulfilled already at hand, a traitor alone you will stand, dark blood will poison the land_.’ This must have been for him. He knew…”  
She looked up, and Hazel covered her mouth, a tear tracking down her dark skin.  
“He knew his blood would poison Gaia, he knew he was going to be a traitor if he wanted to or not.”  
So he’d lined himself up to be slaughtered. Percy’s gut twisted. How long had Nico known he was going to die? How long had he sat there with them, knowing he was heading towards his inevitable death. Since the Island of the Lotus Eaters? Had he tried to escape then? Or more recently?  
_“Whatever happens, you have made me happier beyond my every dream.”_  
He’d known then. Percy felt it to his core. Nico had wanted him to remember and he’d forgotten until now, when the boy was dead and gone.  
“But what about the prophecy of Seven?” Leo frowned. “He never was chosen.”  
“I’ve thought about that too.” Annabeth turned the leaf in her hand, her ‘pensive’ expression on. “ _Seven half-bloods shall answer the call._ Well, we did. But perhaps we were meant to bring Nico here. I mean, we saved him, we relied on him, we protected him. Perhaps we were seven body guards or something – just a theory.” She shrugged and continued. “ _To storm or fire, the world must fall._ Well, Zeus – or Jupiter – hit Gaia head on with the master bolt after the poison, um, blood poisoned her…and there are, well, different kinds of fire.”  
She glanced at Percy for a second, but before anyone could question it, she moved on. Love? His madness? Was that the fire? He didn’t know anymore. Everything felt muted.  
“ _An oath to keep with a final breath_ – when I was with Nico, I heard the giants talk to him about an oath on the Styx. He must have sworn something to them and, well…to his final breath, I assume.” Annabeth glanced at their friend’s body apologetically. “ _And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death_ , and we know that bit, hmm?”  
“Yeah.” Jason nodded. “So everything is done. No more prophecies. No more giants and Gaia and fighting. There are some positives anyway.”  
He smiled wanly. No more Nico di Angelo.  
“Nico did this for us.” Hazel’s voice was shaky, but Frank kept a gentle hold of her hand with the fingers he had left. “He’d want us to move on from him and enjoy the world without Gaia, I guess.”  
Piper nodded and swallowed. She sniffed as a tear dripped down her cheek. “Do you, um…think we should burn his body tonight?”  
No, Percy wanted to scream, no, no, no! Didn’t think he could live through that. He just wanted to take Riptide and plunge it into his stomach, to be left with the untainted memories of his sexy, gorgeous, brave Nico for the Underworld. Maybe he would. When the others were busy, when the others weren’t bothered about where he was or how he felt. Death would be a welcome break.  
But the rest of the group nodded. Annabeth looked at him expectantly, and he nodded like a robot as well. He hoped Hades would let him be with Nico, like Dido had been able to be with Sychaeus. That would be good. They could burn the son of Hades one day and the son of Poseidon the next. To the gods, what did it matter who lived and died? He should have died in battle. Jason should have let Porphyrion crush him. At least he’d have been remembered as an Achilles rather than an Ajax. But that didn’t matter now. He’d die knowing the others were in a better world and they didn’t need his protection anymore. He’d die knowing he’d done his run as hero.  
Suddenly something hot blew onto his back. Strange. He hadn’t even felt the warmth of the healthy Greek sun.  
“Demigods, I bring news and gifts.” Hermes was leaning on a palm tree. He didn’t look nearly as buoyant or bubbly as he had in the Underworld. Over one shoulder was draped what looked like a heavy, black cloth that sported an intricate bronze pattern studded with diamonds and rubies.  
Annabeth stood out of respect, and the rest of the demigods sluggishly followed.  
“Firstly – Gaia’s presence has been poisoned and blasted back to wherever she has been hiding for the past hundreds of thousands of years. We shouldn’t be hearing from her for a while, thanks to Nico and Zeus.” The messenger god glanced at the half-covered body in the shade, then back. “If it’s any solace, Hades appealed to Zeus to have his son made into a constellation. No god disagreed. No mortal has sacrificed themselves like that for us since…well, I can hardly remember.”  
Hermes smiled slightly and slid the gem-studded cloth off his shoulder. Hazel hiccoughed again, face glistening with a sheen of tears. The words hardly registered with Percy. Stars were so cold and remote. Even if they did preserve a memory, it was bittersweet and silent. Nico…what would he have wanted? He swallowed as grief tried to break through that numb bank of hollowness.  
“Hades made this.” A more anxious look fleeted across that pretty tanned face for a second. “He said no-one else had, um, probably bothered and it is a last gift to his son.”  
“Is, um, Hades ok?” Percy couldn’t believe he was asking this – neither could the rest of them from their perturbed glances at him – but hey, Hades had loved Nico more than anyone had ever realized. That at least deserved something.  
“Let’s say us gods can hear it when essence screams.” A strange pallor crossed Hermes’ face. “And the Underworld hasn’t been quiet lately. I don’t know where he learned how to do that – even if he is the eldest god – but it even has Zeus uncomfortable. If he can pull essence out of giants, he can pull it out of gods.”  
The blonde messenger shook his head and handed Percy Nico’s death shroud. “Hades has spent many, many years in darkness alone and even I don’t know what he gets up to half the time. And of all the gods, he has free access to Tartarus. Could have been experimenting for centuries for all we know.”  
“Great.” Leo announced cheerily. “The mad scientist God-of-Death is what we have to look forward to in the afterlife.”  
The joke echoed uselessly in Percy’s brain, a tinny, empty sound.  
“The gods did very well,” Piper flashed an encouraging smile up at Hermes, one arm around Hazel. She could obviously tell his mood was dampened, probably by Hades’ state of mind. “You guys knew exactly where the giants were and everything.”  
Hermes sighed and one of his snakes slithered out from under his tunic to settle around his neck. A long, bronze finger stroked its head idly. “There’s the other thing. Nico came to me after the titan trap when you –" he nodded at Percy. “ – were sleeping. He told me to keep tabs on him and that when I saw his spirit leave, that was our cue to attack.”  
“You knew?!” Percy suddenly felt himself grab the god by the collar, that anger, that disease flickering. “You KNEW?!”  
Behind him the other demigods yelped in surprise, but Hermes just put a warm hand on his arm. “He saved the world, Percy. Let him be remembered not for your anger, but for his heroism.”  
It just died. The anger just fizzled and he was left feeling alone, cold and childish. The god was right. The gods would always be right, with their Fates, their prophecies, their immortality and eternal wisdom.  
“And Nico told me something else – actually, he made me promise not to tell you, but he didn’t make me swear on the Styx.” The old mischievous glimmer flickered in those blue eyes, and Percy barely felt Hermes gently move him aside so he could see the others. “He said ‘it’s easier to lose an enemy than it is to lose a friend.’”  
Another wayward glimmer lit his eyes. It looked like the god wanted to say something else, but he kept his holy trap shut.  
“Oh.” Annabeth looked at the god with renewed interest. “That’s why he took me like that. He didn’t _want_ us to stop him being killed. He was relying on our hate, our repulsion to let him get sacrificed.”  
“That’s why I didn’t save him.” Jason was staring at the ground, voice barely a whisper, and Percy saw his eyes glaze with tears. “Gods, he was acting and I could have saved him.”  
“Then we would have ruined his plan. For him, everything went perfectly.” Annabeth swallowed and sat down. A horrid silence settled over the group. It took Percy a few seconds to realize Hermes had vanished. Then Hazel started sobbing again, and Piper pulled her into a hug, her shoulders shaking with silent tears. Jason just looked at the grass, a hand shading his eyes for dignity’s sake, but Percy could see drops falling from his cheek onto the ground. Even Frank and Leo looked morose. It all felt surreal. Like he was watching a movie and soon it would end. Well, for him it might end very soon. Idle fingers wandered up to his pen-sword, his faithful Riptide. Wouldn’t it be ironic for the weapon that had protected him through every hardship he’d ever known to be the one to take his life?


	18. Percy Handles His Own Sword A Little Too Vigorously But Survives

For an hour or two, they all didn’t say much or eat much. Frank and Leo gutted the deer, probably for something to do. Hazel was cleaning up Nico for tonight’s ceremony. Piper, Jason and Annabeth had offered to do it for her, but she’d been adamant and they’d left her alone. Percy watched them all from a rock near the seashore, tossing his sword from hand to hand. One movement. One simple action and all the emptiness would be gone. Pain, gone.  
“Percy, I’m so sorry.” Jason’s ragged voice cut through his thoughts, and the son of Jupiter settled heavily beside him. His eyes were swollen and he looked even worse off than ever. “There could have been another way, I should have thought of something…”  
Percy just stared at the sea, its constant motion, the confident _whoosh whoosh_ that had been wearing that strip of beach away for millions of years. “Nico knew wh-what he was doing.”  
He cleared his throat and eyed Riptide. “Hermes was right. He saved the world. He didn’t want us to stop him. I’m sorry for hurting you like that Jason.”  
“I know why you did it.” The son of Jupiter hugged himself and glanced up at Percy. “I could feel why. Even when you were mad, you knew I could have saved him but I didn’t. You wanted revenge – on everything.”  
“I guess so.” Even the sultry blues of the sea seemed bleak, as if part of him was already wandering the Fields of Asphodel.  
“I’m so sorry.” The other man said simply and to Percy’s surprise, kissed him on the forehead. It didn’t feel like nervous desire or anything, just consolation. Like a parent to his son or a blessing. At that moment, something inside Percy broke. The memory of Nico’s lips on his, the comfortable weight of his lover’s body, the heat and trust, the shared pleasure and the shared pain. The _familiarity_. So he buried his head in Jason’s shoulder and sobbed, while the son of Jupiter gently patted him on the back. He knew he should keep his head up for his friends, but seriously, fuck that. There was no comfort. His grip on Riptide tightened and he turned the point toward his stomach. Jason would understand. Jason understood everything.  
“PERCY!” Hazel’s screech stayed his hand, seconds before…Gods, he’d been so ready. “PERCY, ANNABETH!”  
“Come on!” Jason grabbed his arm, and Percy almost tripped up as they stumbled along the beach. He’d been seconds from committing suicide. The son of Jupiter had no clue how close he’d been from holding a dead son of Poseidon instead of a living one.  
“Ohmygods, ohmygods…” Hazel’s hand was over her mouth, eyes wide as saucers, as the others gathered around her on the vibrant grass.  
“What?” Annabeth took her shoulder.  
“Look.” The daughter of Pluto pointed at her brother’s body, chest heaving. “Look!”  
Percy felt his heart stop. The skin on the carcass’s neck was moving. _Crawling_. The others just stared as well.  
“What is it?!” Hazel sobbed, and Frank put a bandaged arm around her shoulder.  
Sickly white cartilage curved out of the shredded oesophagus, fusing together until the trachea was whole again. Dead flesh built up behind and around it, pale and bloodless. Nico’s head jerked forward horribly as veins and pipes re-attached. What was happening. Nico was dead. Percy couldn’t allow himself even a glimmer of hope. A god was mending his body for burial. Couldn’t have a Nearly-Headless Nico in the stars, now could we?  
Suddenly, a drop of crimson trickled out of the slowly shrinking tear in that throat. Blood. Corpses didn’t bleed. Pale skin clamoured forward like a desperate crowd at a rock concert to cover the raw, red flesh. More blood seeped out of the now shaving-nick-sized cut. His head had been barely attached. Now, except for a few trails of blood on Nico’s throat, there was no sign that knives had even touched it. For a moment, another scene flashed through Percy’s head; Gwen’s stomach in Camp Jupiter knitted up, much faster but…  
“Huuuh, haaah!” Nico’s eyes snapped open and that muscular chest moved.  
“NICO!” Hazel screamed and jumped on him, kissing all over his face. This wasn’t real. This was a horrible dream, a curse from some dead giant.  
“W-wa-te-wa-t-r…” Even though the voice was as dry as Dionysus’ jokes, it was Nico. Had to be. Just stared in shock.  
“GET WATER!” Hazel shrieked, and Jason practically chucked a bottle at her head. “Nectar too! NOW!”  
Piper procured a pouch, probably given to them by Hermes when they’d first arrived. Percy felt dizzy. Couldn’t stand. Just sort of sank to the ground behind the others. Nico chugged the entire bottle of water, and almost all the nectar, until his skin began to glow an ominous gold. That pretty mouth was moving again, alive…Percy just watched those cupid-bow lips talk, the slight breeze pick at that thick black hair…it couldn’t be real. It was too good to be real.  
“Nico, what happened?!” Piper reached forward to hug him, but the son of Hades flinched away, as if he expected her to hit him.  
“You don’t want to kill me again?” He gingerly sat up and looked around them all, still panting to regain the days of oxygen loss to his body. The beads of blood on his throat trickled down his bare chest.  
“Hermes explained everything, and what he didn’t explain, Annabeth figured out.” Jason grinned and pulled Nico into a bro-hug. “Gods, it’s good to see you breathing again!”  
When he pulled away, Hazel squeezed him again, and the black-haired demi-god crushed her back.  
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean anything I said in that cave, to any of you, gods…” Those gorgeous yellow eyes picked out Annabeth, full of remorse. The last time Percy had seen those eyes was right before…right before the blood. The death. The madness. He literally felt paralyzed. Didn’t want to move in case he broke this dream, this spell, something….  
“I forgive you for everything.” The weight in those words didn’t just imply her kidnap.  
“We forgive you too.” Frank clapped him gently on the shoulder and even Leo shook his hand. Without even feeling it, Percy took a breath and stood up. He needed to know. _Had_ to know if this was real. Everybody just sort of moved back as he dropped into their makeshift circle around the son of Hades. Knelt. Could feel his hands shaking. Those feline eyes widened, fixed on him. For a second they just stared, transfixed, at each other.  
“Hey bitch.” Nico smiled weakly, probably hoping Percy wouldn’t strangle him.  
“You were dead.” Of all the thing he could have said. Of all the obvious, stupid things. Before that beautiful, sexy, moronic bastard could reply, Percy wrapped one arm around his waist and yanked the smaller demigod up onto his lap. The only resistance was a small, surprised grunt and then he kissed those pretty, breathing lips, kissed him and – oh gods, Nico was alive, and kissing him! He tangled desperate fingers into that long, black hair, wanting to touch all of his lover, make sure he was all there, all whole. Every muscle in his body seemed to cheer with joy. He slid a hand over that tight ass and pulled the son of Hades closer to him, right up so Nico was straddling his hips. His other hand ran over the muscles working in Nico's back. It was just him and Nico. A moan of happiness escaped him before he even realized it had formed. Gods, he’d missed that hot tongue teasing his, pleasuring his mouth with little flicks....Nico even tasted amazing from the nectar, like blue brownies. He could already feel the blood pumping to his cock, sexual arousal adding to the rush of happy endorphins purging his system of all negativity. Those muscular arms clenched so hungrily against his back, fingers twisted into the material of his shirt. He tasted tears as their mouth worked together – not sure whether they were his or Nico’s, but gods, they were not sad tears. Through the hard chest pressed against his, Percy could feel Nico’s heart beating, and holy mother of Zeus, as he held that son of Hades, nuzzled down his shoulder and ran his hands up those firm thighs, it was the best thing in the world. Everything Percy ever wanted was here, everything-  
“Oh.” Piper’s astonished mumble suddenly broke his little bubble. Oops. He’d forgotten the others were there.  
“Shit.” The half-naked son of Hades muttered into his shoulder and slid off his lap, cheeks burning. If they’d been in a cartoon, Hazel, Piper, Leo and Frank would all have their jaws on the ground.  
“I-" A slowly reddening Frank coughed, smiling in a surprised kind of way, and caught a glance of Jason who was grinning ear to ear. “I didn’t see that one coming.”  
Jason raised his eyebrows as if to say ‘ _are you serious?_ ’ Leo’s mouth was still hanging open, and Percy would be surprised if he didn’t start catching flies soon.  
Piper stared at them, blushing. She looked like she was about to have a nosebleed or something. “That makes sense, I guess, I thought….”  
She glanced at Annabeth, who was seemed pretty interested in the grass.  
Percy was too happy to even care. Who gave a damn if they knew? And if anyone dared tease Nico for it, he’d punch out their teeth.  
“Anyone got a shirt around here?” Nico grumbled quietly beside his shoulder. He’d be damned if he let that stubborn demigod cover up his fine body so soon.  
“Grumpy.” Percy kissed him on the temple and ran his fingers down Nico’s spine, out of sight of the others. That earned a muted happy noise and a quiver of pleasure over the son of Hades’ pale skin. “I really don’t think anybody does, which is _such_ a shame, don’t you think?”  
“Fuck off.” Nico’s good-natured mutter was only loud enough for him to hear and the demigod gave him a shove, trying not to smile. Gods above, Percy had forgotten how difficult it was to keep his hands off this man. Almost irresistible; he just wanted to hold him and kiss him and tell him he loved him so much, over and over again…but as always that frickin’ tease was letting him have none of it in public.  
“So, um, how did you, y’know, escape?” Hazel was doing her sisterly best to not look scarred from watching her half-brother make out with one of her friends. She sounded a little strangled and uneasy with eyes fixed on the ground, but then again she was from the 40’s or whatever – hell, she’d been scandalized when him and Annabeth had spent the night together doing absolutely nothing.  
“Um, I guess over the past couple of months I’ve studied the Doors of Death and the ways in and out of the Underworld so often that it wasn’t difficult finding a path.” Nico shrugged his lithe shoulders, swaying a little from low blood pressure (Percy guessed) and ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair. Mmm, Percy hoped he never cut it shorter than that. It looked so sexy. “The problem was escaping Thanatos. I very nearly didn’t. I owe Hermes for that.”  
“Hermes?” Frank raised an eyebrow. “Hermes was just here a couple of hours ago.”  
“Mmm, I made him swear by the River Styx that he wouldn’t tell you of our little rescue plan, in case it didn’t work.” A pleased little smirk rode over Nico’s lips. Holy tits of Aphrodite, Percy wanted another kiss so badly…gods, he hoped they got some alone time. Otherwise Nico might find himself being dragged into the sea for some prolonged skinny-dipping by a randy son of Poseidon, heck.  
“He’s currently throwing Thanatos a birthday party. Hopefully, by the time Thanatos realizes he doesn’t really have a birthday or is incredibly drunk, Hermes will have told Hades and Hades will make sure Thanatos ‘forgets’ one way or another that I escaped.” Nico smiled a little cruelly, and Percy wondered what ‘one way or another’ meant. “So for better or worse, I’m here to stay.”  
“How are you not a child of Athena?” Annabeth smiled, and the other demigods, even Nico laughed.  
“Because my plans are actually trash? And full of loopholes.” He grinned and wiped the dried blood off his chest. “If Hermes had arrived one minute later, I would have crossed the Acheron and there’s no coming back from there, unless one of you did an Orpheus.”  
“Glad you made it then,” Percy, despite Nico’s slight protest of tensing his lean muscles, draped an arm around his shoulders. “Cause I can’t sing for hell or high water.”  
The son of Hades just raised an eyebrow and shot him such a saucy look, that Percy almost blushed. It seemed to say _I bet I can make you sing, Jackson_. One way to get his boner back up, that’s for sure.  
“Hmm-hmm!” Frank cleared his throat in a flustered kind of way and tapped Leo’s shoulder. “We can, um get dinner ready.”  
“Uh, yeah.” Leo almost looked like he was denying his own inner bisexual ancient Greek warrior, and left with the Roman praetor.  
“Yeah, I’ll go and pack.” Annabeth stood. “Hermes said the ship would be here soon.”  
“I’ll come too!” Hazel reached over and pulled Nico forward again, smiling a little nervously. Oh well, For a kid of her bigoted time, she was doing better than he’d expected. Though, Percy supposed, after learning your half-brother was dead, learning he was gay - or at least bi - wasn’t so much of a blow. “Don’t you dare ever try and be a hero again, ok?”  
“Gods, you Romans.” Nico smiled and kissed her on the cheek, a teasing tone in his voice. “You never understand our Greek arrogance for fame, do you?”  
She laughed. It was funny how one life could change the mood of everyone. “Promise?”  
“I promise I’ll scream like a little girl and run away from the next chance of killing myself to save the world.” The solemn way he said that made Percy crack up. And people didn’t think the son of Hades could have a sense of humour. Dark and twisted maybe, but still there.  
“Good.” The darker girl skipped off. Jason and Piper had left while she was talking, so it was just him and Nico sitting beside a bloodied white sheet and a jewel-encrusted death-shroud on the grass.  
“Ugh, my jeans are covered in blood.” Nico picked rust-red flakes off the black material.  
“Well, you could always take them off?” Mmm, even though Percy felt like it was going to be a little while again before they’d get alone time…gods, the thought of that pretty bare ass had him hungry.  
“You’ve had your strip show for today.” But even the way this son of a god moved and the flirtatious flick of those cat-like eyes down Percy’s chest to the steadily more significant bulge his crotch suggested otherwise. By the beard of Odysseus, he just couldn’t control himself when Nico looked at him like that. A fizzle of warmth zinged down to his stomach, a much more healthy feeling than that horrible buzz of anger. “Anyway, I’m barely able to stand with the amount of blood in my body at the moment, never mind getting it up, you whore.”  
“Gods I missed you.” Every bit of that sentence was true. “I missed you so much that I almost came to join you.”  
Percy leaned his back on the tree beside his boyfriend and gently slid Nico onto his lap. This time the son of Hades barely huffed in protest. It was difficult to feel emotional when an ass that firm was squeezing up against his hard cock.  
“Shit, really?” The smaller demi-god looked up at him, eyes wide. “Thank you for, um, not. That would have been a real Romeo and Juliet cock up.”  
“If that makes you Juliet…” Percy grinned and Nico elbowed him.  
“Fuck up, bitch.” The slim, black-haired son of Hades reached up and stroked his face. “I missed you too though, especially after, um, taking Annabeth. Doing that to you was almost unbearable.”  
“You’re actually mad for carrying all that out, you know?” Mmm, Nico was in his arms, warm and breathing. Half naked as well. In his wildest dreams, right now he couldn’t have asked for more.  
“Family trait?” Those pretty yellow eyes sparked with humour, and those lips were just so tempting…Percy just couldn’t help himself. He cupped that strong jaw in his hand and gently pressed his own lips against Nico’s, feeling that amazing tingle of heat and happy excitement flush his cheeks and spine. Oh Gods, it was good, it was so, so good. Nico deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue to open Percy’s lips. A dizzying thrill of desire and joy zinged through his body and he wrapped his arms so tight around Nico that the slender demigod gasped for breath when they pulled away.  
“Fuck you’re hard.” The son of Hades’ voice hit a higher croon with desire and Percy almost moaned with pleasure as that sexy ass pushed tighter against his straining cock. Gods, why was Nico doing this to him?  
“You _want_ me to fuck you in front of the others?” Percy couldn’t help kissing down the nape of that pretty neck. The muscles down the other demi-god’s back quivered as the touch brushed nerve endings.  
“You’re right, and I’m hungry.” Nico slid off him and suddenly yawned. “Haven’t eaten for days.”  
Percy’s stomach growled in agreement.  
“Come on then.” Despite his arousal, it was ok. If Nico was ok, he was ok. And so they headed off toward the fire-pit to grab something to eat before the girls packed it all away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not the end yet, but it should cheer you up :P Tell me whatcha think of Nico's plan if you like c:


	19. Hill Billy Beards Are Considered. Mistakes Are Made.

19\. 

Fuck it was good to be back. By Tartarus, bed after literally dying was the most incredible thing in the world, even though he felt like shit. And he meant shit as in tired and fucking eternally thirsty. Nothing threatening. He was just too happy from being able to breathe with actual lungs and a throat again. And Percy holding him. Gods, there was nothing better than Percy alive and not missing any vital organs - or less than vital but still very important organs. His plan had actually worked. It had seemed so fucking impossible and it had worked. He grinned to himself in the dark and stroked the warm, firm hand on his chest idly. The son of Poseidon had hardly let him out of sight since Nico had gone all Jesus on them. And by sight, he meant that randy demigod did half the looking with his hands, even in public. It still embarrassed all Hades out of him, but that glow of happiness, that knowledge he was _wanted_ …it sort of overrode the life-long self-conscious shit. Though…he still couldn’t believe how much he’d lost control in front of all of them with Percy’s enthusiastic greeting. It still made his cheeks flare with heat. Fuck, if Piper hadn’t made a noise, Nico had a feeling that his and Percy’s little happy make-out bubble would have become a bit more grinding-the-shit-out-of-each-other explicit. And then he probably would have had to kill himself again from embarrassment.  
Actually, he’d had fucking enough of death for now. Because Nico was not going to lie: dying had been the single most excruciating experience in his entire existence. Poisoned by giants? Not even close to those sadistic knives. Fuck, he’d probably have more blood-filled nightmares and a paranoia of sharp objects near his throat. Fuck shaving. He’d grow a hill-billy beard.  
“Mmmuh?” The bigger demigod behind him stirred as he snorted violently at the thought. Really Nico, a fucking beard? He almost laughed aloud. Why was that so funny?  
Physical pain aside though, it cut deeper; even Bianca’s death hadn’t emotionally torn him up as brutally as knowing he’d die hated by the people he loved most.  
Then there had been a resonating _whump_ of wings. A hooded figure – kindly but matter-of-fact had taken his hand. Thanatos, he’d later realized. But being a shade…there was no such conscious recognition. Just empty purpose. Follow the instructions. There had been a moment as his own body was hoisted over the pit and emptied of blood. One moment of sentience, and by all good shit, he’d wished it had never happened: Percy’s hoarse cry had momentarily snapped him back to recognition. Fuck, the hopeless rage he’d heard would haunt him till his next dying day. He’d wanted to run to his lover, scream that there was a plan, a hope…and then like that, his vision had turned grey and a road that he vaguely recognized from shadow travel opened under his feet. Everything in life seemed to be slipping through his fingers, like the remnants of a dream, leaving him with infinite patience and robotic tranquillity. It had all been numb; the disconnected movement from A to B with Thanatos to fill his pale entourage… the recognition of the bank of the Acheron. For some reason he’d been taken there immediately. Then there had been a slight tingling, a slight twist of regret and pain about something he wanted to remember, something he should have known better than the movement of his own body. But there was also the knowledge that beyond that river was peace. Blissful ignorance of the pain of life. He vaguely remembered a terribly bright light. Something the other souls dared not look at. Hermes, Nico now realized. Hermes in his true form, a sight ineffectual on the vacant impression of what once had been flesh and blood. The winged figure had left and suddenly he’d known. The realization of a different purpose had brought him to seek out an escape route. Something…someone he had to get back to. Someone he couldn't quite give up on yet.  
In the dark, Nico grinned. Fuck, he was a stubborn little shit. A true piece of Hades was wedged in his soul, and even death wasn’t strong enough to overcome that. Well, good things seemed to come to those who bludgeon the Olympus out of reason. He gently twisted in Percy’s arms until he was facing that pretty sleeping damsel. It was something he’d really never seen before: that strong, tanned face relaxed without a trace of selfless worry or hardened determination or pain. Unless he counted that sexy bastard’s orgasm face. Now _that_ was an expression of indulgence and surrender to pleasure that he’d seen before and was thoroughly keen to see again.  
“Hey bitch.” That bitch better fucking hear him. He just felt sensual in the dark, in the bed sheets, especially since Percy’s chest was bare. A high hum of happiness thrummed up his throat as the naked muscle shifted against his thin shirt. Fuck, he couldn’t resist this sexy son of a god. He’d missed everything about him, from the way he moved to the cut of his hair right down to the tiny unmistakably ‘Percy’ way of those lips twitching into a determined smirk right before a fight or when he was thinking. The crinkles beside his eyes when he laughed or grinned…and that fucking ass. Shit, probably half the reason he’d clawed his damned soul up from the twilight zone was that firm, toned thing.  
“Don’t ignore me bitch.” He smiled again. Ok, they’d been apart for what seemed like years and now they were alone and he felt better than ever. Just wanted to fucking forget the past couple of days for a moment. And Percy had a talent for distracting him.  
Mmm, that neck was just begging for a kiss…maybe a little more than a kiss...  
“Hmm?” Strong arms looped around his lithe waist as he sucked on that soft skin. Nico wasn’t prepared for the reciprocation of a hot thigh sliding between his legs, and he let out a little gasp. But this time his body was more than ready to react. How was a boner even possible when he shouldn’t even have enough juice to stand? Well his body fucking had its priorities sorted, didn’t it?  
“This had better not be a dream.” Percy mumbled, hands already creeping into his shirt. A shot of shivering pleasure lanced up his spine, sending a shudder through his body. Fuck, gods, he’d forgotten how good sexual arousal was. Nico couldn’t help a groan into the other man’s ear.  
“Does this -” He thrust against that fucking incredible thigh and grazed an earlobe with his teeth, eliciting an appreciative grunt. “ – feel imaginary?”  
“This does.” Percy’s hand tugged at his shirt, his voice gravelly from sleep and pleasure. “Whoever let you wear this to bed made a mistake.”  
“Now why’s that, big boy?” Fuck, he pushed Percy’s legs apart and thrust his dick right next to the other demigod’s erection, voice breathy with need before he could think to correct it. Even through pants that felt too good to be true on his scale of life (minorly shit all the way through to shittiest shit of all fuckdom, which had recently been the new pinnacle of shit).  
Underneath him, Percy tensed –  
Rrrip! The shirt slid down his arms in two halves. Ok, he’d found a new kink. A clothes-ripping-off kink. That was unbelievably hot. The sexy bastard just smiled up at him. What an innocent expression for such a dirty bitch.  
“You – “ He drove his cock tight alongside Percy’s. “sexy-“ Another thrust and he was panting hard. Heat pulsed in the head of his cock from delicious, sweet friction and those hands clenched tight on his ass were sinful. Nico did feel slightly dizzy, but at the moment, he'd just go until he passed out. Percy let out a string of hot, high moans and clasped them together.“ - bitch!”  
Shit those cries hit a nerve! A wave of pleasure rolled over his body, thrumming in his groin.  
“I wanna come, I wanna come now!” Percy moaned, begged, eyes fluttering. Shit, Nico had never agreed more. With one arm, he yanked that tanned animal up onto his knees so they were both upright, facing each other. This demigod didn’t need pants anymore. Neither of them did. He wanted to feel the soft skin and impossibly erotic hardness of the other man’s cock against his. Now. Percy twisted his hand in Nico's briefs and ripped them off with one jerk of a muscular arm. The son of Hades showed his appreciation by showering his lover with kisses, little nips and low, encouraging huffs as Percy slid off his own underwear.  
In seconds, they were both kissing, gasping like half-drowned men, rutting like dogs, crushed hard together, hips eagerly grinding their swollen erections searching for satisfaction. Percy’s hand was tight around their cocks, oh fuck that ass was tight beneath his hands, oh the hot sweat of desperation was so good. Nico almost stuttered their frantic rhythm as Percy broke away from his mouth a bit hard into his shoulder, sending a bolt of ice and heat to his groin. He couldn't help crying out a little too loud, but he didn't have time to worry about the rest of the crew. The heat and friction of his lover’s foreskin against his dick and the shuddering pleasure of those relentless teeth just sent his eyes rolling up to fucking Olympus. His body was shaking with orgasm against Percy’s, come mingling and dripping down their cocks as the son of Poseidon shot a second later, grunting and groaning into his ear. Oh fuck, even the bed was moaning with the movement of sex.  
“I’ve - huhh – been meaning to – huhh – give you a proper welcome back…for a while, Nico.” Those seductive lips brushed over his, salty from his own skin. A wave of dizzy sparks glittered across Nico's vision, as his body finally decided that it wasn't up for anything else; he sank back down on to the bunk.  
“Well, as far as welcomes go,” Fuck, Nico never got over how good an orgasm from Percy made him feel. “That was so good.”  
“So good?” The son of Poseidon slid back down into the bed beside him, a sexy smile lightning up his features. That man fucking always knew the expressions that made him want more, mmm. “We’ll have to improve that when we’re back at Camp Half-Blood.”  
“I look forward to it.”

The rest of the journey back was not quite as energetic after an awkward breakfast that morning in which Leo dropped one too many hints about sound-proofing the cabins while Frank and Hazel blushed in a corner and Jason gave them suggestive eyebrows. Yeah, Percy almost seemed to take it as a compliment, replying that sound-proofing would certainly be a good improvement, but fuck…Nico guessed he’d never been the most open about that shit. Ok, here and there he did slide his arm around Percy’s hips or hold his hand, but compared with their friends hearing their sex noises? That was a whole different kettle of fish. Just too personal.

“Guys!” Piper suddenly burst into the dining hall from guard duty with Annabeth. Hazel got such a fright that half the silverware skittered forward and stuck to her arms. Fuck she was cute sometimes. Nico smirked. Was she as innocent in the bedroom with Frank as that downright sugar-coated couple seemed to be in public ? Maybe it was a Underworld thing; introvert in public, vigorous in the boudoir. Or maybe not. Shit, he didn’t really want to think about Hazel and Frank fucking. Too much man. “Guys, Reyna’s on Iris-message up top!”  
“We’re nearly back in America anyway,” Jason frowned, but immediately pushed back his chair as the rest of them stood too. “Why would she call us?”  
“You think I’m psychic?” She smiled and winked at her boyfriend. “Come on!”  
“Mmm, I’m so ready to be back home.” Fucking Zeus’ pants, the warm breath beside his ear made him jump a foot. A playful hand cupped his ass cheek for a second and Percy sent him a smouldering glance. He felt like they were both two cats on heat in separate cages and when they got back…well, technically there were no rules about demigods of the same gender not being alone at Camp Half-Blood. Which was pretty rich of Mr Fucked-Himself-With-An-Olive-Branch-On-His-Male-Lover’s-Grave Dionysus. Shit, if Greek history and motherfucking Plato was anything to go by, that should be the _main_ rule.  
“I’m so ready to be back in your ass, Jackson.” He murmured in that tall man’s ear (he still had to fucking stretch to reach it) as they climbed the stairs.  
“Sounds good.” Percy grinned and caught him for a quick kiss as they reached deck. Even though the others weren’t looking their way and it was less than Jason and Piper did in public, Nico still heard his heart gallop. Fuck, he really wished he could get over this _stupid_ embarrassment.  
“Hi all of you.” Reyna looked up from some papers she had on a bench beside a fountain Percy hadn’t previously exploded. Hmm, Nico never really trusted Romans – apart from Hazel and Jason, of course. They just had an air of cold politics about them that twisted his gut, as if he knew they’d sell him out for the greater good. Which he wouldn’t put past them, though he’d like to see them fucking try. But then again, he was being a hypocrite. He had sold _himself_ for the greater good.  
“Reyna! We weren’t expecting a call.” Jason cocked his head. “What’s this about?”  
“I thought I’d catch you up to speed on events here.” She sighed, signed something and looked back. “So Octavian and the Roman Army did in fact reach the Greek camp, but there was…unrest, let’s say, in the ranks. War for us is not a profit making business nor are casualties welcome. Octavian had neither the power of a Praetor or Emperor to really command the legions, especially with the visions and omens other demigods were having as they got closer to the Greek Camp. Omens promoting peace, not war, probably amplified by Athena's statue. Then, when I notified the leaders of the legions about my safety within the walls of the camp, they really did not see a beneficial reason to fight.”  
“But you broke the rules.” Frank frowned. “Why would they worry for you, no disrespect of course.”  
“You and I both control their finances for one. Secondly, I have been praetor for longer than Octavian took up his post and I also suggested advantageous results of a maintained relationship between the camps for the good of New Rome.” The little political glint danced over her eyes. Fuck Rome was complicated. That place had issues. “Our destiny is not to rule or subjugate anymore. We have enough resources. We can compromise and thus prevent the disturbance of bloodshed, especially in the sight of recent events.”  
“Wait, wait, hold up. You said Octavian had the power?” Percy shifted beside him and raised an eyebrow. “He doesn’t anymore?”  
Reyna shook her head. “The augur had become too self-obsessed, too intent on his own purposes. His actions were furor and opposed to the good of the State and even the will of the gods. He threatened the Pax Romana with unjust cause and promoted himself beyond rank.”  
“What happened to him?” Hazel interjected. “Was he arrested or something?”  
“I’m afraid he was assassinated.” Reyna shrugged. Gods she looked really cut up about that one.  
“ _Assassinated_?” Annabeth stared at Reyna and then glanced toward Jason, who looked kinda nonchalant.  
“Hasn’t happened in a while, but sometimes when a person of power gets too greedy or…king-like -” It seemed to be a struggle for the guy to get the word ‘king’ out. Fucking historical rut they were stuck in. “We assassinate them. Sometimes damnatio memori, but I don’t think Octavian deserved that, did he?”  
Reyna shook her head. “And it wasn’t as though he was the Pontifex Maximus either. Just an augur. Not even a direct son of Apollo. No taboo on killing him.”  
It was almost creepy how matter-of-fact the praetor and ex-praetor looked while talking about killing a dude they’d known for ages.  
“What about his family?” Piper looked a little taken aback at her boyfriend as well.  
“We’ll interrogate them and see if they were promoting his actions. If so they will be banished, if not they will stay.” Reyna stacked her papers. “However the assassination may have been initiated by them for shaming their name with his acts and if the case is so, we pretend we don’t know a thing. Anyway, enough about Octavian.”  
She pulled out another drachma as the message began to flicker. “A small force attacked Camp Jupiter while it was left vulnerable by our augur’s lack of foresight and it was thanks to your Pegasi riders that we averted disaster. The situation is stable here, and I believe beneficial relationships between Greeks and Romans were formed. This may be the end to our conflicts.”  
“Grand!” Leo smiled. “I suppose you heard about the rave party we’ve been having.”  
“All we know is that the prophecy was fulfilled and you are all, by some miracle, alive.” The corner of her lip picked up. “Mercury – er, Hermes maybe, I’m not sure Mercury ever wore a tunic that short - assured us you had quite a story to tell when he stopped by.”  
“You could say that.” Nico managed a half-smile. Quite a story was one way of putting it.  
“Nico di Angelo.” Reyna did an odd thing; she bowed her head in respect. Ok, what shit had Hermes spilled? “We were told your courage was the key to killing Gaia and that we should honour you as a hero. Without you we’d all be dead or worse.”  
Fuck, ok, it had been difficult, but anyone would’ve done the same.  
“It really wasn’t – “  
“Shush you.” Percy’s hand slid over his mouth and around his waist. “You deserve every inch of praise you get.”  
“Every inch, huh?” Oops, couldn’t help it. Fuck. Percy just grinned and looked back at Reyna, whose eye were just a little too wide. Yeah, that spooky guy from Camp Underworld was being touched by a human being that wasn’t Hazel and not being floored – he’d seriously considered flooring Jason that time he’d fucking grabbed Nico from behind and flown him over a wall. Personal space, man. Or maybe it was that Percy’s hand was a little too comfortable inches from his crotch that she looked like that. Just don’t fucking blush, Nico. His cheeks already felt hot, though Percy told him his cheeks always looks hot. Whatever.  
“Well, I don’t have any more drachmae and I have a ton of paperwork concerning damages and investigations. It was good to see you again and we all hope to see you very soon.” She nodded at Jason and Frank, then split the spray. If she’d been fazed by their homoerotic shenanigans, she did very well at hiding it. Yeah, Nico was paranoid. But coming from a time where you could have been killed for that sort of thing, he thought it was pretty understandable.  
“Oh, I can’t wait to be on dry land again!” Hazel moaned. “I’ve had enough sea travel for a lifetime!”  
“I know what you mean.” Nico smiled back at her as the rest of the crew dispersed. Ever since she’d seen him and Percy together, his sister hadn’t quite been meeting his eyes. Yeah, she’d grown up back in the day when fucking ass was nigh illegal and it seemed to be cutting into her demeanour a little.  
“Hazel, look at me.” He caught her jaw and she swallowed, eyes too wide.  
“Look, I know I’ve been sort of…” She trailed off and glanced away. “I don’t know, but I guess it –um, you with… y’know - was kind of a shock and it’ll take me a while to get, um, used to it…but I’m still your sister and I still love you k?”  
“Thank you.” Squeezed her hand.  
“You’re alive.” The dark-skinned girl smiled back. “And nobody, not even Annabeth resents that.”  
“Really?” Even though it was outwardly a joke…truth be told before he’d got himself fucked up in this mess, he’d almost thought the harpy had been talking about Annabeth being the traitor. The daughter of Athena was still pissed though. He could fucking tell by the way she didn’t look at him or Percy unless she had too. Ah well. She hadn’t stabbed him in his sleep, so he had some god to thank for that.  
“You didn’t see Percy when you were dead.” Hazel looked across at the son of Poseidon grinning with Jason in the sunshine. They looked like complete and utter gossips, the pair of them. “He just sat by the shore playing with Riptide and I swear, there was something missing in his eyes when he talked. I think Annabeth is just happy that her friend isn’t on the brink of suicide anymore.”  
“Seriously, I’m surprised no-one slapped me upside the face when I got back.” Or at least strangulation. Percy had offered (sometimes with rather delicious aggression – he’d never forget when Percy pinned him down in that Underworld cell) on a regular occasion when he fucked up to strangle him.  
“I think the general idea was that you’d had enough punishment.” Her eyes flicked down to his throat, and suddenly it felt very tender. Ugh, the memory of those knives ripping his skin was going to haunt him forever. “Anyway, I’m not getting any more used to boats and the sea, so I’m going to lie down.”  
“Hey people!” Jason yelled from about 50ft in the sky.  
“What’s up, Superman?” Percy yelled back, and Nico couldn’t help his lip quirking. The low tones in the son of Poseidon’s voice were just too damn sexy. And manly. Paired with a bit of sass, that was irresistible.  
“Wow, Jason gets up very high, doesn’t he?” Nico rested his chin on Percy’s warm shoulder and tried for the innocent eyelash-bat.  
“Yeah, but I have big cockles.” That filthy bitch earned a grin.  
“Land ahoy!” The blonde Roman swooped down, and presumably went to alert the only member of the team who wasn’t lollipops and rainbows – Leo, strangely enough.  
“He’s always wanted to say that.” The taller demigod laughed. A stray hand found his unruly black hair and – mmm. Nico couldn’t help a mental purr at the way that felt. Fuuuck, yesss. Little quivers ran through his muscles. How did one little act already send down the highway to hard city? But… the others weren’t really around, so it was ok to give in a little bit. He had to admit…being back in familiar territory was going to be bliss. And knowing it was all over and done, for the moment anyway… That was the best thing of all. Not a single time in his life had he ever felt… _satisfied_. Yeah, that was a fucking brilliant word. Though there was still one promise to fulfil, and by the Fates, he was going to keep Percy to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw, it's so nice to see you all happy again :P hahaa I've been wanting to kill Octavian for a while though so yeeah, here ya go. Thanks for reading so far! Tell me whatcha think, and have fun doing whatever y'all are doing wherever you are c:


	20. Hermes' Shorts Could Literally Not Get Any Shorter

20.

The return to Camp Half-Blood was fucking amazing. A hundred times better than when they’d defeated Kronos, because this time Nico actually had Percy by his side, grinning at him like his pride would make him burst. Ok, Nico could have said the praise was embarrassing. Could have grumped that Percy fucking touched him too much in public. Could have tried to move people along with a glare. But shit, he really didn’t feel like it. He felt _happy_. And not even his own fucked up mental issues could divert him from that. Smiling and accepting a handshake or a hearty clap on the shoulder actually felt good, a little draining, but good. And even then, Percy’s dirty winks or fucking admiring smirks got him up and at them again (both literally and figuratively). It was just so incredible to be home and done. No more giants. No more Gaia. No more fucking dying. The full-circle moment really hit him too; he was back here with Percy at his side again…but instead of arriving fresh and new with a guy he admired, here he was, battle-hardened and generally hardened with the same dude who was now his boyfriend. They actually could be something now. Something more than a ‘last-night-on-Earth’ fuck, something more permanent than lust and satisfying desires…the thought of that was even more overwhelming than the celebrating campers.  
“Isn’t this awesome?” Hazel grinned beside him, eyes wide as she took in the Greek Camp. The Aphrodite and Demeter cabins, with a little help from nymphs and satyrs, had really outdone themselves with decorations - streamers in every semi-fluorescent shade and flowers in all shapes and sizes sang out from the trees in exuberant colour. Fuck, there were even Romans fist-bumping Frank and Jason in casual wear. The world really must have gone round the bend while they’d been away.  
“Yeah.” It was all just so…well, he’d never actually talked to or been smiled at by this many people.  
“Hey Nico!” A strikingly pretty brunette girl approached them. Nico recognized her from walking past Cabin 10 back when he stayed in Camp Half-Blood long term.  
“Um, heya.” Shit, you always have to blush with girls, don’t you Nico? Non-family chicks always made him feel as though he should give them some sort of special attention, be like a normal guy and feel nervous. Now the societal expectations seemed to be burned into his fucking cheeks.  
“Hi, like, my name’s Zariaspa, you know, from Aphrodite’s Cabin?” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “My mother said this is for you, sweetheart. I don’t know what it is...ever since the electric nipple clamps that came for Jason, we don’t open our mother’s packages cause the temptation to tease him was so bad, but then we’d get fucked up by, like, Roman Zeus and Piper if we did…so anyway…”  
What. The. Fuck. What has been heard cannot be unheard. She pressed a box wrapped in brown paper into his hand. It was strangely heavy. Ok…. Since when did Aphrodite give a shit about Hades’ kid? And Tartarus below, what was in _his_ box?  
“Congratulations on the dying thing and everything…” She shot him a flirty wink. “You ever want to, like, Iris message someone, or want a little entertainment, I’m free round 2am for a show. Later death boy!”  
“She seemed awfully friendly.” Hazel nudged him, and Nico raised an eyebrow. He led her over to his cabin and unceremoniously chucked the box inside.  
“I’m not heterosexual enough for this sh – “  
“Hey, can I borrow your brother for a moment?” A familiar little happy rush tingled down his spine as a work-calloused hand gently brushed nape of his neck. Oh that bitch didn’t let his cock rest for a second when he was around, did he?  
“Sure! I should make sure Frank and Jason aren’t taking all the Roman spotlight.” Hazel slid away. Mmm, Percy looked so sexy today. Nico wanted to summon a couple of skeletons and subtly destroy all the son of Poseidon’s clothing that wasn’t close fitting, cause shit…the way his singlet clung to those firm muscles was just too irresistible. He could follow the planes of those chiselled abs until that gorgeous hip-bone line tried to seduce his eyes to what lay beneath those fucking obstructive shorts. Ok, put plainly, he was so hungry to suck Percy’s dick right now. Or push apart those toned ass-cheeks and get the son of Poseidon writhing in helpless pleasure on his cock again, holy shit. Oh great. Now he had a throbbing boner. From just one fucking glance. They needed therapy. Lots of sex therapy. Lots of sex.  
“That look should be illegal, Nico.” The taller demigod’s tone was closer to a moan than a statement.  
“Sue me then. It ain’t going away with a shirt like that on.” Fuck, he knew he was teasing in a crowd of thankfully oblivious people. But he couldn’t stop. Shit, Percy got him going like an animal on heat.  
“Was that a subtle compliment?” Percy grinned and ran that large, warm hand down his bare forearm. It wasn’t particularly sexual, but it just felt so natural and intimate that Nico couldn’t help leaning into the touch.  
“Is this a subtle invitation for me to fuck you?” He looked up at Percy beneath his lashes and flicked an erect nipple that showed through the fabric of that hot demigod’s singlet. The man gave a little surprised squeal. Very uncharacteristic of a hero who’d saved the world a couple of times, ventured through Tartarus and kicked the asses of gods knew how many evil bastards along the way.  
“Later, _definitely_.” The son of Poseidon’s tone was teasing but hungry. Percy wanted it bad, wanted it as much as Nico did. There had been a time Nico would have thought that impossible, when he’d thought he was a hopeless mental case for admiring those big, muscular shoulders, that open smile and an ass even Athena couldn’t deny her child from. Shit, the return to Camp Half-Blood was making him a reminiscent little bitch. “I was actually hoping you’d take me to my mum’s house. I promised to visit her as soon as I got back and there aren’t any cars to borrow here.”  
“Sure.” Mmm, he knew Percy could drive. And for some reason, it made that sexy man seem even more mature. Now, for some shadows… “Come over here.”  
Suddenly, Percy’s hand slid into his, so casually but fuck it made his heart almost literally stop. Shit, they were in public. He couldn’t just – he flinched his arm away, but that stubborn motherfucker just hung on.  
“Percy – “ His own voice jerked and that embarrassing heat inflamed his cheeks again. Fuck.  
“Nico, someone is going to notice sometime.” The blue-eyed demigod sighed. “One look at me and Annabeth and it’s easy to see we aren’t love-doves anymore. One look at me and you and it’s pretty obvious we want each other’s asses in bed.”  
The son of Poseidon pulled him around. Fucking lucky there weren’t any people round the back of the Hypnos Cabin or he may have just commanded the earth to swallow him up. “I want to hold your hand, Nico. I want people to know you’re mine, that you’re not the heroic bachelor people think you are, hm?”  
“Heroic bachelor?” Couldn’t help smiling. “Do you call me that in your head?”  
But the rest of Percy’s words actually caught his heart and sent it into a faster tempo. The look in that tanned demi-god’s eyes as he said that poured want into every word.  
“No,” The side of those lips he hadn’t fucking kissed for too fucking long quirked up. “Big boy or bondage boy, take your pick. I did think Nico di Assfucker would be a great one though.”  
“Oh my gods.” Nico just cracked, shit. Seriously, he just leaned against Percy’s shoulder and laughed and laughed. Why did he even care about what other people thought about him and Percy? This bitch made him so happy, how could anything anyone thought make him feel awful about it? Plus Jason would probably fry anyone that teased them into oblivion. What was holding him back from being happy? Himself. So kick yourself in the ass, Nico, and hold this fucker’s hand. In fact...  
“Come here, bitch.” He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s neck and jumped up around his waist, the remnant of laughter still bubbling up. Percy didn’t kiss him, just spun him around. One hand gripped his ass with a kind of pressure that although he supposed they were having a fucking cute moment, fuck he wanted that hand to squeeze a little harder, to slide down his jeans and massage his ass. Yeah, he’d come by jerking himself off once or twice with a fingertip or two on his prostate, and shit that had been the most intense orgasm he’d ever had till Percy had improved his sex life by three-hundred percent. Good Aphrodite’s tits, what would it feel like with Percy inside him?  
“Mmmm…” Ok, his dirty mind just took over his body and suddenly he had his lips on the other man's. Fuuck it was Elysium, after so long, to feel the way Percy greedily pushed back, rolling his body with their enthusiastic kissing. Nico could feel the steadily hardening erection grind against his inner thigh.  
“Nico...” Percy groaned and ghosted his lips down the side of Nico’s neck, sending tingling shivers along his spine. But those hands gently pushed him down, back to the ground. Nico couldn't help his eyes flitting around to see if anyone had actually spotted him. Yeah, these paranoias would take a little while to build a bridge over. “Gods, we are going to be illegal in camp if we keep this up.”  
“This meaning…?” Nico shot him a wink, desire convulsing in his ass. Shit, he really wanted Percy to fuck him. His body was begging him to let Percy inside it.  
“Something I don’t want to have when my mum hugs me, that’s what.” The son of Poseidon grinned, teeth white against his tanned skin. For a second he seriously resembled his dad.  
“Come on then, grab hold.” He offered out his hands, but Percy just wrapped an arm around his waist.  
“Take me, Nico.” That flirtatious bastard. But he’d always wanted a one-on-one shadow travel with this bitch – any excuse to hold Percy’s hand or cling on to him a little more bodily than necessary. Sometimes he’d almost worked himself up into making an excuse to lone shadow-travel Percy somewhere, just for intimacy’s sake. But he was a little messed up coward, so those plans and shit excuses had been hurled away. Yet now…he leaned forward into that warm chest, pictured Percy’s balcony and let the darkness engulf them.

 

Best. Fucking. Shadow-travel. Ever. Pushed right up tight against those abs. A shame Percy hadn’t cupped his ass in his crotch or visa versa. But probably just as well, because they almost appeared on top of Mr Blowjob or whatever the fuck his name was. Blowfis, Nico. It was almost pathetic how much he’d memorized about Percy’s family and house. Damn, he’d been nervous the first time he’d popped up and scared the bejesus out of Percy on this balcony before asking him to dip himself in the Styx. Fuck, he almost hadn’t – he’d watched Percy for about a minute before he’d even slapped his confused and edgy self in the face and talked to the man rather than zipping back off to whatever abandoned shack he’d invested in for the night. That cake had been good though.  
“Whoa! – Percy?” The salt-and-pepper haired man almost dropped the wine glass he’d been carrying. Well at least it didn’t look like him and Percy’s mum had been shower-fucking this time. That had been awkwaaard.  
Blowfis’ face split into a grin. “Percy! Sally, come quick!”  
“Paul, what is it?” The long haired woman Nico had to thank for bringing his sexy man into the world poked her head out the door. “PERCY! Percy honey, you’re back!”  
Nico practically had to dive out the way as his boyfriend’s mother swept Percy up into a bone-crushing hug. Percy was a big guy, much bigger than his mum. Shit, she had passion if her hug knocked the wind out of him.  
“There were so many things going on, so many things you could have been caught up in, I was so scared for you, but I’m so proud, ooh Percy I missed you so much!”  
For a second, as they hugged, a little sad creature inside him felt lonely and left out. He’d never really had a _family_ moment. No hugs, no role model to tell him they were proud of anything he’d done…shut the fuck up, Nico. You’ve got Hazel. You’ve got Percy. And for all it was worth, he had Hades and his strange fathering skills. Stop being a depressed little bitch.  
“Yeah, well I could never have done anything without Nico and the rest of the demigods.” Percy grinned and beckoned Nico over from where he’d instinctually been chilling in the afternoon shadows. It was the best thing in the world to see the son of Poseidon look elated with the excitement of returning home. Fuck, after all the hardships Percy had been through…the hardships _he’d_ put Percy through…that smile was the best thing on earth.  
“Oh Nico, it’s so good to see you!” Sally beamed. “Come inside, we’ll have lunch. You should have told me you were coming, I would have baked cookies.”  
“You’re amazing mum.” The son of Poseidon gave her a kiss on the cheek.  
“I try.” She led them inside. He’d always liked Percy’s house; it was clean and tidy and even scented a little like Percy. Mmm, that bitch smelled good. “Now tell me everything. I hoped you all survived – oh, how’s Annabeth?”  
Shit.  
“Uhhm, she’s fine. Yeah.” The taller demigod shot him a nervous glance. Fuck. Nico guessed that holding hands in public was one thing. Coming out as bisexual and fucking a boy was another. From the raised eyebrows Sally gave him, it was obvious she could read his tone like a book. “I mean, she made it without any injuries or dying.”  
“That’s fine, honey. Adventures like this change people, hm?”  
“Yeah.” And that was it. The rest of the afternoon Sally and Paul begged them for their adventures. Skirting around the fucking and flirting was nigh impossible, especially with Percy sitting right next to him, the heat of his skin so tantalizingly close. Yeah maybe he leaned against that muscular arm a little, albeit gingerly. Touching Percy in front of his family felt like he was covered in electric buzzers; even the slightest brush sent heat and anxious excitement rippling to his stomach. Which seriously made him want to fuck that bitch more, to be honest.

“Wow!” By the end of the story (which Percy embellished too fucking much in some parts – made him sound like a hero instead of an introverted bastard with trust issues), Paul was practically shitting himself over Gaia, the giants and what death was like. “That’s an incredible story and a half! Could make a book out of that!”  
Paul grinned and Sally nodded and offered them some fresh cookies out the oven.  
“You two seem to have come out of the whole thing a lot better.” The brown-haired woman smiled as her son took a blue biscuit. It was strange when she did that, because bits of Percy seemed to pop out in her features. “Even if you did die.”  
“Yeah.” Percy suddenly looked down at him, and shit, he couldn’t help a smile. He knew their gaze lingered too damn long for friends. Plus as soon as he looked back, that fucking heat crept back into his cheeks. Fuck! He was the fucking son of Hades, why did he have to have blushing problems? But Sally didn’t scream or gasp or anything stupid; just a little knowing glance and that was it.  
_Knock knock_.  
“That’s the door.” Paul jumped up and Percy and his mother exchanged a glance. Nico wondered if they were silently betting whether he was so eager because he thought it might be Poseidon.  
“Hi there!” That was not Poseidon. No king of the sea would ever fucking say ‘hi there’. Plus he knew that voice. And the golden hair and tanned skin that went with it. “I have a delivery to pick up from Sally Jackson.”  
“Er, come in. Wait, did you say pick up?” The door shut and Hermes pranced into the room dressed in a post-boy outfit that looked like it had come straight out a porn film. The only exception from the suggestive attire (Shit that god had good legs - Nico could really see why Hades fucked him) was a bandage around his neck.  
“Yes, I’ve got to take these boys to Olympus!” Hermes seemed much happier than when Nico had talked to him last, which was understandable, since then they’d been planning his death.  
“Olympus?” Nico didn’t really like the place, no matter what poetry the others spouted about it. That mountain was dangerous territory, and even when he’d been brought beneath it by the giants, even the air around him seemed to want to spit him out. Needless to say, the top wasn’t any better.  
“Mmmhmm, you know, the eight of you will win fabulous prizes and maybe even a godhood or two and then come back. It’ll probably be kinda boring, but Zeus is going to have to choke out the words that a son of Hades saved the world and that in itself is worth an hour or so long ceremony.” A wicked little glint picked up in the god’s eye.  
“Wait, are you _Hermes_?” Paul was grinning like a Cheshire cat.  
“Mmhmm…” The god batted his eyelashes at him and Sally cleared her throat.  
“So, Lord Hermes, er, how did you get your injury?” Percy's mother seemed keen to change the subject, probably because she didn’t want her boyfriend assfucked by the god of mischief.  
“Well,” Hermes smirked like a cat with a swimming pool of cream. Oh no. This was going to be something about his dad that he _never_ wanted to know. “Hades kept asking whether I’d brought this guy’s soul down yet – ” He gestured to Nico. “ – And when the son of a gun escaped the Underworld I told Hades of our little plan and…I guess first he tried to strangle me and then it sort of turned into the most violent, acrobatic bondage sex I’ve had in years. After a couple of days, Zeus started to get edgy, so I had to come back.” The blue-eyed god pouted, but Nico was trying his best not to crack up at the priceless expressions on Sally and Paul’s faces. Even Percy was squinting slightly, as if trying to picture Hades doing anything but grump and overlord. Nico could fucking imagine. In summer those bastards didn’t even try to keep their fucking a secret.  
“Anyway, I should be taking these boys now.” Nice word choice after that story. Hermes seemed utterly oblivious to any scarring mental images he’d imparted. Or he was just a fucking troll. Which was more likely.  
“Um, er ok.” Sally blinked a few times and went over to hug Percy. She whispered something in that gorgeous demi-god’s ear, too quiet for Nico to hear, but Hermes smirked and shot him the ghost of a wink. Then he reached over, tapped their shoulders and Percy’s living room dissolved into blinding white light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise I ain't gonna do a whole Olympus scene because a) I can't be fucked and b) those scenes are generally cliche and the same. Hope you guys are enjoying it still, and as always, tell me whatcha think c:


	21. Good Things Come In Heavy Packages

21.

Well shit, that had been a rollercoaster. Zeus had been extremely mutinous about admitting that the demi-god he’d worked with to destroy Gaia was the son of Hades rather than a nice respectable Olympian demi-god, but he got it out in the end. And even though the other gods seemed even more weary of the Lord of the Underworld as he’d fucking extracted the essence of the king of giants, the only word to describe his dad was cute. When he’d appeared in Olympus, Nico could tell that Hades wanted to grin and maybe even hug him. But the fact that he didn’t was fine because before they all got settled down into their talks, the tall, dark god took him aside and solemnly said:  
“You’re turning into one of those heroic bastards. And I’m proud of that.”  
Then they chilled by the fire for the rest of the meeting, and even when he got up for his honours, Hades clapped him on the shoulder so hard he almost sat down again. All in all, despite the snarky comments and haughty looks from Hera, Zeus and a couple of the Olympians (Athena blatantly ignored him, but Aphrodite was practically hyperventilating to her throne-neighbour Hermes, who just grinned back) Hades’ pride was the best damn feeling in the world. Well, apart from fucking Percy Jackson. Another thing that really pushed his buttons right was a gift Hades had ordered from Hephaestus; he’d lost his sword in gods knew which cave in Greece, and since it seemed everyone had had too fucking much of caverns, his father had just got him a new one. Fuck it was beautiful. Perfect weight and covered in fluid bronze designs that changed from words into battle scenes into enemies he’d defeated and people he’d saved. One word to describe it was awesome. It felt as though it gave him more power than the last one too. Mmmm. Its name – Bloodbringer – could have sounded a little pretentious, but it seemed to connect with him. He’d been the one to bring the blood to the giants. So that had been that.

 

Nico flung open his cabin door. Everybody else was still singing round the campfire, even though it had been fucking going for six hours or so. Oh well. They had a reason to be happy. Hazel and Leo especially: Hazel had asked the gods to remove the curse on the gems she pulled up, so that she didn’t have to worry about other people swiping them and dying horrible deaths. Sly. Righteous, yet she could also get motherfucking rich. Leo had asked for Calypso to be released. Why? Fuck knew. But whatever floated his dragon-headed boat, Nico supposed. Odysseus had thought she’d been a good fuck for his ten-year stint on her Island. Perhaps Leo was out for the booty too.  
Personally, he’d rain-checked his grand prize. He had what he wanted. He had Percy. Having a fuck-ton of godly favour up your sleeve for emergencies seemed like a good way to go -  
The shit? He almost tripped over that box the Aphrodite girl had given him earlier. Did he even fucking dare look inside? Maybe later. He turned on the light instead.  
Double what the shit! Nico stood there gaping. Somebody – he had a good fucking idea who – had filled his cabin with bowls of massive rubies, topaz and diamonds on amethyst plinths. Lapis lazuli glittered on the ceiling in twisting designs and bronze skulls gaped over the doorways. Fuck it was pretty. Wow, Hades. His dad was an in-the-closet caring parent if he’d ever seen one.  
“Ok, wow.” He just stood there for a second and took it all in. Then he realized the box was still in his hand. “Well, here goes fucking nothing.”  
When the lid came off, he almost laughed. It was like a little Christmas sex hamper. There were two studded thongs, probably their exact package measurements; a ton of pleasure lube – self heating,‘seductively slippery’ and Aphrodite knew what else; handcuffs, a fucking collar, an imaginative array of vibrators, even some sort of whip…holy shit, Aphrodite had really gone to town, hadn’t she? She’d even taken the liberty of adding a couple of gay pornos in there too. Haha, Aphrodite’s ‘thanks for saving the world’ was ‘here, have a good fuck, you deserve it.’ Typical. Well why not go and tell Percy the good news, huh? By the sound of it, curfew time was nearing, even though Dionysus really didn’t seem to give a shit at the moment. He was off partying with the rest of the gods somewhere and had left Chiron, who also didn’t really give a shit, in charge. So his boyfriend should be heading back to his cabin. Well, time to find out what wearing a thong felt like and time to surprise that sexy bitch.

“It’s so good to see you again!” There was Percy talking with Rachel on the Poseidon Cabin steps. Yeah, there was something about night time and the very naked feeling of this skimpy underwear, well-fitting at the front and sliding up his ass-crevice at the back, that just really got him going. Plus Percy was still wearing that fucking hot shirt. Wow, he needed a fuck. Hopefully Percy’s walls were soundproofed, because son of a bitch, there was going to be screaming tonight.  
“Oh hey Nico!” Rachel turned and smiled at him. “Sorry the prophecy didn’t really go in your favour.”  
“Oh I think a lot of things did go in my favour.” He grinned up at Percy, who smiled back, slow and wicked. That sexy bitch. That sexy, sexy bitch.  
“Are you two ok?” The red-haired prophet looked between them. “First you seem to want to kill each other and now you’re real friendly.”  
“Real friendly is one way to put it.” Percy laughed and slid his hand into Nico’s before he could protest. “Real friendly with lots of things to talk about. In fact – “  
That tall, tanned demigod shot him a filthy look. “ – we might have to be up all night talki – oof!”  
“Excuse him, he gets a little over excited.”  
Percy rubbed that fucking muscular side where Nico poked him, but still wore a smug-ass little grin. “Long story short, we made out – I mean up.”  
That bitch earned a mock glare, but Rachel seemed fine with it. This was good. He could finally deal with being a little more public about their relationship, even though nerves still made his heart freakin tap-dance.  
“It’s good to see you're both finally happy.”  
“Thanks.” Nico glanced up at the son of Poseidon. “Now I better get this guy inside before he tells you something you really don’t want to hear.”  
“See you guys later then!” He almost felt sorry for Rachel. The only dick she’d ever get was Apollo’s if she was lucky. Then again, he remembered thinking Apollo was pretty good looking back in the day before his sister hitched off to lesbian camp.

Nico had never been in Percy’s cabin before. Oh, he’d dreamed of being in Percy’s cabin. But it was actually quite beautiful, even if he wasn’t too keen on the sea. The entrance was paved with golden alabaster and a fountain tinkled to one side, water arcing perfectly for an Iris-message. Glass with shells preserved inside it separated the entrance to the bedrooms – there were two; one with six bunk beds that looked entirely unused and another with a Queen and a Cyclops-sized bed, both sea-blue and draped with mosquito nets. But fuck, he didn’t have much time to admire the interior design.  
“What’s in the package Nico?” As soon as Percy shut the door to the outside world, hot lips nicked down his neck. That felt nice, teasing; setting off little tingles down his spine, right up the shaft of his cock. Ok, the thong was feeling significantly tighter now.  
“A surprise for you, whichever package you’re talking about.” He – _gods_ – couldn’t help moaning as gentle teeth were added. "Shit Percy, you biting fuck!”  
The son of Poseidon grinned into his neck. "Thanks."  
Nico turned around and just fucking dropped the box on the floor. They could get to that later. Then he yanked that tanned bitch forward and stole a quick kiss, and then another and another, till they were panting, breathless. Hands roughly yanked his leather jacket off and tossed it on the floor.  
Percy made a noise between a grunt and a growl; a lower, more bestial tone that he’d never heard the son of Poseidon use before. Shit he was a sucker for noises like that. His breath hitched unexpectedly as Percy pushed him up against the glass, that deliciously hard bulge thrusting against his hip. Nico considered just letting Percy have his wicked way with him, but fuck it if he was going to let the son of Poseidon have all the fun. He slid his tongue deep into that pretty mouth, balled up that seductive singlet and yanked it off, then crushed their bodies so hard together that he could feel every inch of Percy fervently grinding against him in a tight hot mess, crying and gasping in his ear. The cool glass on the skin of Nico’s back gave a sharp contrast to that burning chest.  
“OH!” Fuck, now _he_ was a squealer? Apparently. Percy's hand had gripped his ass and ignited a deep, throbbing desire that made his breath hoarse. Driven by it, he sucked the side of Percy’s throat, biting, leaving red marks behind. Nico just needed something to concentrate on, to stop himself making those undignified noises - but that resolve didn't last long. The son of Poseidon picked him up and thrust their erections together panting hard in his ear.  
“Bitch!” Nico managed to gasp, and tweaked his lover’s hard nipple, earning a high cry. Oh shit, the friction on his tight thong was really sending him wild.  
“You’re making lots of creative noises tonight.” The other man’s voice groaned in his ear, breath tickling his nerves. “I like that. I like that a lot.”  
“Good.” He slid down out of Percy’s grasp and smacked that sexy ass. A large hand caught his shirt and practically tore it off. Then the son of Poseidon got to work, kissing down Nico's chest, down toward his tight pants. Ripples juddered through his skin where Percy licked and bit. The younger demi-god kicked off his boots as coherently as possibly as those unbearably hot lips reached his belt and the other man dropped to the ground. Oooh, just seeing Percy Jackson on his knees, nuzzling his hard bulge was pornographic in itself.  
“Percy...” Nico could hear little high edges to his gasps as he threw his head back and tangled his fingers in that thick hair. Oh gods, his cock was so hard it had almost pushed out of the top of the scanty waistband of his Aphrodite-bestowed pants. Heat and pleasure thrummed through his body from his groin. Dextrous fingers undid his jeans and coaxed them over his hips – and suddenly Percy stopped.  
“Wow, Nico.” A finger slid up the smooth material cupping his cock, over the narrow elastic on his hip and traced on to his bare ass cheek. The desire in his voice was unbridled and dripping with lust.  
“I told you there was a surprise.” Nico managed a breathy laugh and stepped out of his jeans.  
They hadn’t even made it to the bedroom yet and they were almost naked. He kept his fingers secured in that sexy bastard’s hair. “Now pick up that box and follow me, Jackson.”  
“I don't know why, but I love it when you call me that.” Percy sent him a smouldering look from under his eyelashes, but his gaze almost immediately snapped back to Nico’s barely covered cock with a longing look. Shit he felt sexy. A far cry from that insecure depressed demigod who’d resigned himself to a life of drugs and forgetfulness on the Lotus Island what seemed a lifetime ago.  
“Good.” He lifted that handsome face for a quick kiss, then strode over to the bed, purposefully strutting a little to make his ass look even better. The dull thud of hurriedly removed material suggested that his partner was now buck naked. Nico ducked under the mosquito net and climbed onto the blue bed. The light net fabric trailed against his skin, sending shivers through his nerve-endings.  
“Who would have thought a son of Hades would be so sexy?”  
Dayum, Nico could never get over how beautiful Percy’s naked body was. You could tell he was descended from a Greek god with those chiselled abs and taught pecs. But his tan and honest smile, those bright white teeth made him irresistible. Not to mention his erect cock, wet with pre-come. Nico should really stop staring. But his eyes were fucking ravenous. Percy looked so strong and well-built…ok, he didn’t want to fuck Percy tonight. That man could pound his ass into screaming ecstasy right on the fucking spot.  
“Come here. Now.” Nico wanted to feel that bronze skin on his, to touch the pulsing firmness of Percy's cock more than anything in the world. He couldn’t even take proper breaths, he was so desperate. The tall demigod dropped Aphrodite’s box on the side table and shoved him onto his back, his eyes brimming with hunger for pleasure. But instead of climbing on top of the smaller demi-god, Percy's wicked lips trailed up his thigh, eliciting an urgent moan from his throat. Gods, Nico couldn’t control his hips as Percy slid a hot tongue under the material of his thin underwear and gently tugged it off with his teeth. The fabric dragged along his dick on the way, involuntarily sending Nico's nails down that wide back. His older lover let out a muted groan and ran his hands down Nico’s stomach and now bare hips. A surprise jolt of pleasure made Nico catch his breath sharply as a gentle thumb slid over an unexpected erogenous zone on its way down to his naked cock.  
"Not yet." Nico barely managed to pant. He grabbed a muscle-thickened arm and yanked Percy full onto the bed. Fuck, he wanted kissing. Now. With increasing urgency, he wrapped his legs around those slim hips – fuck, he was burning with heat - and sucked, licked and touched every inch of skin he could reach. The other man’s hot breath panted eagerly in his ear as their naked bodies slotted together, but it just wasn't enough. The thick head of Percy’s cock thrust hard against his thigh and it was driving him mad. A strong hand gripped just below his ass so tight the fleeting thought he might get bruises flashed through his head before another wave of pleasure welled in his stomach.  
“Shit Percy!” He moaned, oh he wanted more. Fuck it. With one shove, he flipped heavier demigod off him and pinned him with one hand.  
“Nico – “  
“Shut the fuck up.” He panted and straddled those slim hips. Percy was a sight: black hair a mess, pupils blown from arousal and lips swollen with kissing. The sight just made his breath come quicker. So Nico bent down, lips actually ghosting his lover’s ear, his cock brushing the fine hairs on Percy’s stomach. “Now listen here bitch.” He whispered and swallowed a moan as the son of Poseidon cupped his ass with massaging hands. “I want to ride you. I want to feel your thick, hot cock inside my body – “  
“Gods Nico, keep talking." Percy moaned and the fingers rubbed his ass harder.  
“Shhh, shhh.” Fuck, he so hot, sweating with restraint and desire, his ass contracting like mad, zings of pleasure sending pre-come to lubricate his dick. “I want to feel you thrust against my sweet spot and I want to see your face when you shoot into me.”  
Nico didn’t know where the words were coming from, but shit, talking dirty made him feel incredibly horny. He gently ran his teeth down Percy’s ear and arched his ass into those devilish hands. The sound he got from the man sent a thrill of arousal straight through his belly. “Get some lube out of that box and let me ride your fingers. I want you in me tonight, I want you in me now - ah! ”  
The last past of his sentence was cut off as Percy’s fingertip brushed his hole. A shudder rippled though Nico’s thighs. Fuck he needed it! Percy shifted underneath him, flipped the lid off the box and pulled out a tube, muscular chest heaving with desire. Nico leaned forward, on all fours above Percy, so fucking ready.  
It was all he could do to stop himself moaning like a whore as slicked fingers slid right down his ass-crevice, lingering, teasing his ring of nerves. “Oh fuck, get in me Percy, get in me now!”  
Too late. He was moaning like a whore and he really didn't care. He needed this, he fucking needed it bad. Nico tried to distract himself from the breath-taking pleasure by running his nails gently over Percy’s chest, lingering on his nipples. But that bastard wasn’t going to give him to it that easily. Those blue eyes caught his, with a seductive, pleasure-glazed glance.  
“Describe it to me, Nico. Tell me what you want, shit, that was so goddamn hot before…” That low voice simmered with hunger, erotic beyond belief.  
“Jackson,” He whispered in his ear and dropped lower over Percy’s muscle-hardened body, until the silky, firm head of his boyfriend’s shaft slid against his ass. The other demigod whimpered and rocked his hips in a languorous rhythm – not fast enough to make him come, but not slow enough to feel awkward. “I want you to touch me in ways that would make Aphrodite blush, I want to feel your fingertips inside my body, on every inch of me that will make me moan and beg for more. Percy, I want you to feel and hear – “ On that word, he ran his tongue over the rim of the demi-god’s ear, and that sexy bastard shuddered and slid those lubricated fingers over his balls. Fuck, this was turning them both on more than it should. “ – how much pleasure you give me, fuck bitch, I - !” A ragged gasp cut off his speech with force. The slippery finger that had been gently playing with his hole pressed harder and then slid in. Fuck it felt so odd, so wrong, but incredibly satisfying; pleasurable in an inexplicable way.  
“Percy,” He gasped, breath catching in his throat as the bigger man moaned beneath him and that fucking finger slid deeper. “Percy, I want to ride you like a fucking stallion, I want to hear you scream from the pleasure of ramming into my tight ass – “  
Fuck another finger.  
Gods, gods, his breath wasn't coming properly; the new sensation just stripped it away. He looked into Percy’s eyes and couldn’t stop desperate, alien noises escaping his lips.  
“Keep talking, Nico, please, fuck you’re sexy!” The son of Poseidon groaned and pushed in a little harder. Nico gave a jagged gasp as the hard, sticky tip of his boyfriend’s dick slid more fervently against his ass cheek, gliding with lube.  
“I want – “ Shit, his voice was high and breathy, his thighs trembling from the new instinct that Percy was inches away from hitting his prostate. “I want you to stretch me, to take me, I want to feel you writhe inside me, I want you to make me beg and moan and scream and – ooooohh – “ He dug his nails into those broad shoulders, hair damp with sweat as another fingertip pressed against him, ventured in beside the others. Even his cries were shaky. Oh fuck, that was his gland, right there! “Stop, Percy, stop or – “ His breath was coming in lurching gasps and an unforgiving pressure tightened his balls… then the fingers retracted.  
He felt so open and exposed above Percy – even though he was on top of him, it felt like the other demi-god had complete control of his body. That was another kink that he really shouldn’t have liked, but gods, it was amazing. He didn’t even think about pain, because it didn’t hurt. Whatever the fuck was in that divine lube must be doing something right. The hot tip of Percy’s cock gently pushed at where his fingers had been seconds ago. Nico had to force himself to relax those muscles, even as the ragged grunts his lover was making sent lust pooling through his groin. But as Percy began to enter him, commanding hands gripped his hips so tightly that he couldn’t control any part of their sex; it was all Percy’s field now, and he shouldn’t have liked it, fuck he shouldn’t have liked it, but that joking, nonchalant man being so dominating was too fucking hot for words.  
“Uh, Percy get in me, fuck.“ Nico couldn’t keep his eyes open. He leaned back, right onto that hard shaft as it slid into his tight tunnel. His body was shaking all over now, begging for Percy to be deeper.  
“Ooh Nico, oh gods Nico, it’s so tight, it’s so fucking tight.” One glance down at his lover’s face and it was easy to see how much Percy was enjoying the pleasure of penetration; his cheeks were flushed, chest sparkling with sweat, eyes half closed. He gave an experimental thrust, and Nico clawed at his chest, teeth bared, trying to hold back cries as that cock entered deeper into his body. Just a little further at this angle... And then he gave a throaty groan. Oh fuck, that was it. The hot full feeling in his ass was amazing, but compared to the hard head of Percy’s dick pushing luxuriously on his sweet spot, it was nearly unbearable. He tried to writhe and buck his hips, but those tight hands held him almost completely still – even though Percy let out a high moan, presumably from the way Nico’s ass was convulsing around his dick.  
“You bastard, you bastard, harder!” He knew they were only starting and he was already begging, he needed this now! Nico threw his head back and arched his spine as that infuriatingly slow but hot thickness pushed deeper inside him. He was tempted to grab his own dick and pump himself to satisfaction, but had a feeling Percy would never allow it.  
“You look so gorgeous,gods…” The son of Poseidon groaned and pulled Nico’s hips up, lifting him back off his cock, pace torturously slow, until he almost slid out. Oh shit, the steady, leisurely pressure against his prostate was fucking incredible.  
“You bitch!” Was this payback for Nico tying him up? That bastard slowly and deliberately pushed back into him and he nearly fucking cried it was so good! How? Unh, oh gods, how was this so good? He’d only ever thought fast, desperate fucking would be satisfying, but this was another level of incredible.  
Percy grunted beneath him, panting, teeth bared from the tormenting pleasure of it. “Gods Nico, you tight slut.”  
“Fuck…you…Jackson!” He barely managed out. That fat head pressed along his gland again, this time harder, still slow, but shit, the dull throbbing desperation deep in his pelvis increased. Nico tried to push down on it, tried to fucking slam it into him, but no, Percy held him like a vice.  
“You bitch, you fucking bitch!” Fuck, he was very nearly sobbing from the urgent need to writhe, to vigorously impale himself on the stiff thing inside him. A wash of heat spread over his body and his arms and lower back muscles trembled violently.  
“Beg.” The other man’s voice was deep and throaty from desire. “Beg for it.”  
That fucker!  
“You - ”Nico took another ragged, high-edged breath as Percy lifted his hips again, but this time didn’t pull out so far. Only far enough that the head of his dick left his gland alone. Nico didn't think he could take that again and not come. Waves of heat rolled out from his g-spot, along his nerves, and he was begging before he knew he'd opened his mouth. “Please, please, fuck me hard!”  
Pleasure wracked his body again. Percy could have whatever he liked, shit, he was crying he needed it so much.  
“Good.” And then a warm hand trailed down his bare hip and wrapped around his dark, swollen cock. Nico gave a cry and his whole body shook around the part of Percy that was inside him. The bastard didn’t speed up though, but oh, ooh gods...the hot, slow fuck at the back and that tight hand at the front was destroying him. The son of Poseidon let out a rough moan and jerked his hips; even Percy couldn’t handle going that slow anymore. That bastard began grunting, panting so hard - but he only picked up the pace slightly, head thrown back against the headboard. Fuck, the intense pleasure, the build-up, the cock pulsing inside Nico was too much, too fucking much. His whole body began to shudder. One hand still held down his hips, but holy fuck it just made everything more desperate. Shit Percy’s hand slid in a merciless rhythm up the base of his erection, fuck, he couldn’t pull his sweet spot away from that impossible pressure. Colours burst under his eyelids, he was screaming Percy’s name at the ceiling before he could stop himself. The orgasm shook his body so hard that the restraining hand on his hip couldn’t hold him anymore. He rammed himself onto that cock, ass squeezing, making noises he never thought he could make, clawing and panting - then that amazing warm rush up his shaft as he came onto Percy’s stomach and chest. The whole bed groaned as the man below came a second later, thrashing and yelling with pleasure, thrusting hard up into Nico’s ass, fingers digging deep into his ass-cheeks. Shit, the ecstasy on his face was almost enough to make Nico come again.  
“Oh, oh, oh my gods….” Nico collapsed onto his chest and they panted together, shaking and hot. Suddenly, Percy caught his face and kissed him sleepily, breathy, but still soft and incredible after sex. A ripple ran through the younger demi-god's body as his lover’s jizz trickled out over his sensitive nerves.  
“I love you Nico. I love you so much.” The son of Poseidon secured an arm around his waist and held him tight against that broad chest. Fuck, he sounded so raw and sincere. A warm buzz crept through Nico’s body, and the rapid ba-dump of Percy’s heart thudded beside his ear. This man was perfect in every way.  
“I love you too, Percy. You gorgeous bitch.” They grinned at each other for a second, and then kissed. Fuck, Nico was happy. He was so happy. And it looked like, for once, it was going to stay like that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, and I hope you have enjoyed this new edited edition of my fic!  
> I you want to check out some of my original writing, complete with humour and homoerotic men, click [ here ](https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/tea-in-the-outback)  
> If you like Star Trek, go and check out my Star Trek fics! They're a laugh.  
> But most of all, thank you to all the readers, reviewers and kudos-ers who have made me feel like my writing is worthwhile. You all are awesome, and without you I simply would never have been as inspired to write as I am today.  
> \- Love, Hades.


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